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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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SALISBUET'S 



dSrciit pantaloons ^w^m.^ 



DEVOTED TO 



THE /ESTHETICS OF 



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FULLY ILLUSTRATED, 



WITH COMPLETE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE MOST APPROVED 
METHODS OF MAKING UP THE SAME. 



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Complete in Four ]?arts. 



PUBLISHED BY 



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W. S. h j3. Salisbury, 



Battle Creek, JJHchigatu 



BATTLE CREEK, MICH.: 

REVIEW & HERALD STEAM BOOK AND JOB PRINTING HOUSE. 

1871. 



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Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, 

By W. S. & B. SALISBURY, 

In the OflSce of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 



ERRATA. 

The lieading, " Diagram II," under Part Second, page 22, does not belong tlierc. 

On page 28, in tlie right-hand column, and twenty-first line from the top, the term "reserved" 
should read "reversed," as spoken of in the following article. 

Under the heading, " The Limbs,', on page 52, Figure II referred to will be found on plate, page 
23. 



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Evi;ry sincere attempt to improve the 
resthetic of pantaloons' fitting is in itself 
commendable. On this fundamental fact 
the author rests his apology for obtruding 
the present work upon the notice of the 
tailoring profession. 

The author does not attempt a consecu- 
tive comment on any particular system, 
but gives his own views, practices, and im- 
provements; also selects indiscriminately 
from different authors upon the themes he 
desires to elucidate. The field is ample, 
and it is abundantly rich in subjects for 
descriptive examination. 

Whether he has succeeded in working 
out his own ideas or not, must be left for 
others to determine ; but if he has failed, 
it has not been through want of opportu- 
nity to study the originals, of which his 
illustrations are descriptive. 

As the whole work is supplied with a 
copious and carefully prepared table of 
contents, the attention of the reader is 
particularly directed to it, as it will greatly 
facilitate reference to those parts of the 
work where the various subjects treated of 
are to be found. 

The illustrated diagrams and figures 
have been prepared with much care, and 
beautifully executed, which adds greatly, 
not only to the interest, but also to the 
real value, of the work. The engravings 
are admirably calculated to convey to the 
mind of the student a clear conception of 
the principles unfolded. 

Part first comprises the author's own re- 
searches and practice, and in it he lays 
claims to new principles, in both measur- 



ing and drafting, which are fully set forth 
in the illustrations and descriptions. 

While he was preparing his work for 
the press, he received the bound volumes, 
3, 4, & 5, of the Tailor tj- Cutter, which 
have proved of great value, as the copious 
selections from their pages will show to 
the reader. The author considers them of 
inestimable value as witnesses of reliable 
authority to vindicate and more completely 
carry out his views, on the changes wrought 
by principle, which he supposed were en- 
tirely new to the trade until he received 
the said works. So far as he was con- 
cerned, he had wrought out the same prin- 
ciples set forth, although in a somewhat 
different manner, and with some additional 
improvements. Still the author considers 
it a great privilege to here acknowledge 
the boon he is conferring upon the trade 
in this country, through the aid derived 
from the pages of the Tailor ^ Cutter, by 
reproducing their views in harmony with 
the author's. 

Part second, entire, is taken from the 
pages of the journal referred to. 

Part third is a reprint from the columns 
of late numbers of the Tailor <|- Cutter. 

Part fourth is "Belfast's" entire work 
on " Trousers and Pantaloons' Cutting," 
a work lately published in England, and 
of great merit. 

"Random Thoughts," on page fifty- 
nine, is taken from the Tailors' Intelli- 
gencer, written by correspondent A. P. N. 

The following article was left out through 
inadvertence, and the diagram 2, illustrat- 



Author's Preface. 



ing tbe principle under discussion, is found 
on plate at page 56, also the balance of 
article on page 58. 

DIAGRAM 2 ON PAGE 5G. 

The basis on which the "Front For- 
ward" system is founded, can be clearly 
seen by examining this diagram. The ob- 
ject in view, and sought to be accom- 
plished by the introduction of the changes 
and their embodiment in a system, was to 
produce a better fitting garment. The 
immediate defects which a change in the 
location of the front is intended to obvi- 
ate are, the removal of the superfluity of 
material which invariably accumulates 
about the fork, particularly when sitting ; 
shorten the front length, and in propor- 
tion throw more cloth on the seat, or more 
properly, to make what was superfluous in 
front of fork available as additional ease 
for sitting and walking, by being passed 
to the behind. 

Two ways suggested themselves for the 
production of the same effect : taking out 
a large, wedge-like piece across the front, 
as from 1 to 2, or to insert one at the 
side, as shown by 3, 4, D. In the first 
place, draw the outline of a plain pair of 
trousers, making A, B, according to leg- 
seam measure ; A, E, half an inch more 
than half seat, which will determine the 
smallest part of the waist, making the 
rise as may be desired. Square the fork 
line by A, B ; mark at F half the seat, 
and at U two-thirds ; square up the front 
line from F, mark back toward the side, 
half the waist measure, and from B to C, 
half the width at bottom. The seat angle 
is found by intersecting the waist line at 
one inch and a half in from the front, 
through which draw a line from the point 
at D. For certain sizes this simple plan 
will produce a good fitting pair of trou- 
sers ; for others, particularly large sizes, 
they would be wretchedly defective, hav- 
ing the appearance of being too wide 
about the fork in front, and creases form- 
ing in various directions on the hind-part. 
These owe their origin to the legs being 
formed too wide apart or too open, which 
means that the leg-seam at C is too far in 
from the line D, L. The same idea may 
be conveyed by stating that the side-seam 
in E, B, is too short for the inside length 
in 0, C. The defects to which we have 



just alluded must only be considered as 
such, when examined from a critical point 
of view. 

For the sake of introducing a form of 
trousers, let us take that shown with the 
front line F, S, and suppose it to be at 
nine inches from A and E ; D at twelve 
inches from A, and C at eight and a half 
inches from B ; and the seat angle at one 
and a half inches from B. If these are 
considered as too " open " in the legs, how 
are they to be made closer ? We have 
already answered that there are two ways 
by which the same result may be obtained 
— advancing the front, or throwing the 
leg in at bottom by taking a piece off as 
from B to II — varying in quantity accord- 
ing to the size of the person who has to 
w^ear them. That a change in the location 
of the front will produce the "close" 
style of cut can be rarely proved by cut- 
ting a pattern in the fork line as from A 
to 1) ; leave the leg part stationary, then 
put in a piece about two inches wide, as 
shown from A to 3 ; the front S will be 
immediately thrown forward to 0. This 
is the effect produced ; and the only differ- 
ence existing between this system and the 
majority of others, is the close character 
in the legs being obtained from the body. 
Those who are obtuse to this truism in 
cutting, have only to let the top part or 
body of the trousers remain stationary, as 
A, b, S, and let 4 fall below to A to the 
same extent as 3 was raised, and they will 
find that the leg will fall to the position 
occupied by C, D, 4, L ; the front remain- 
ing at S ; the seat line also to remain at 
the same degree of bias, as marked in 
from S. Where the product of two meth- 
ods are identical, preference ought to be 
given to the simplest and most practicable ; 
this consideration led to the construction 
of the front forward system. 



TROUSERS— PANTALOONS. 

In this country we have almost laid 
aside the original word trousers, applying 
the term only to the loose garment of sail- 
ors or laborers, and using patitaloons in 
all other cases. The English adhere to 
the old term in respect equally to the 
dress of gentlemen and all others, making 
much less use than we do of the word 
pantaloons in this connection. — Webster's 
Diet. 



TABLE OF CONTEN"TS. 



PAES wtmu's, 



rAGE. 

Preface 3 

IntroiUictory, 

Takingthe Measure, theFirstPreliminary Step — 
Remarks to be Entered upon the Measure 
Book — Facts that must be Met and Overcome 
— The Foot Is Found to Turu In and Out ward... 9 

What we Use to Measure With (illustrated), — 
How to Take the Measure (illustrated), — A 
Measure of Great Importance (illustrated), — ■ 
How lo Take it (illustrated), — How to Apply 
It (illustrated), — The Seusitiveness of your 
Customers, 10 

Anatomy of the Lg (illustrated), — One of the 
most Chnracterittic Features of the Muscular 
Apparatus Man — The Diminutive and souie- 
times Double Muscle — .\ctions of the Muscle 
of the Calf, Power, use of, 11 

What Rotates the Tibia. Inward — Reasons why 
every Cutter Should Study Anatomy — What 
we Prove in our I'rincif)les of Drafting (illus- 
trated) 12 

Positions of the Open and Close Leg (illustrated), 
— Why the Side-Band Is Seen to Turn Forward 
onto Foot (illustrated), — Reasons why Stretch- 
ing and Shrinking Will not Always Do, 13 

How to Fit the Straight, Full, Muscular 
Limbs (illustrated), — The Figure Complete 
in Diagram D — The Front Forward Bal- 
ance Proved Correct for certain Forms — 
Not to be Used for all Shapes (illus- 
trated), — To Prevent the Disagreeable Swiiig- 
ing Off at Heel— To Draft the Rack part— A 



PACK. 

Pleasing Effect Produced (illustrated), 14 

Draft for the Medium or Well Proportioned 
— The Difference between (he Outside and 
Inside Measure 15 

Where to put the Extra Round for Corpulent 
Cut — Working from the Right Standpoint — 
The Differences Found in Corpulent Forms — 
Position of Standing a Powerful Effect on the 
Fit — Claesificaiion of the Different Shaped 
Men — We are not ahv.ays Allowed the Dicta- 
tion ofour Judgment 10 

Facts and Forces Must be Overcome — A New 
Discovery in Measuring the Fork (illustrated), 
— Founded upon Principle -Proved Correct 
— A Great Feat Accomplished in Drafting,... 17 

A Geometrical Problem (illusiraled), — A Ludy 
Advances an Idea — Corpulent Draft — from lier 
Husband's Measure — The Correct Way to 
Balance for the Corpulent Shape (illustraied), 18 

Solution of a Practical Problem — Proveil that a 
Sm.all Waist Carries ihe Front more Forward 
than the Extreme Corpulent — The Old Way of 
Forming the Front for Corpulent Men Shown 
To Be Wrong — How to Prevent a Lapful of 
Goods when Sitting — To Cut from Striped 
Goods and Prevent the Stripe Running Ob- 
liquely from Knee to Heel at the Back of 
Leg (dlustrated), 19 

To Press and Shape the Leg (illu-straled), — Ran- 
dom Thoughts on Pantaloons Fitting 20 

Preventive of the Frightful Distortion Com- 
plained Of 21 



Table of Contents. 



FAM^ e®^@M®.- 



Creeches and Gaiters, "The Measures For" (il- 
lustrated), — Breeches-Making a Lost Art, 22 

The Houses Who Have Attained Celebrity as 
Breeches Makers — The Fundamental Princi- 
ples of Trousers and Breeches Cutting — Anat- 
omy of the Leg Reviewed (illustrated) 23 

How the Reiil Secret of Trousers Cutting was 
Revealed to a Knowing One — What we see 
Worn on the Streets and Fashionable Prom- 
enades — Antidote for Some of the Most Glar- 
ing and Troublesome Defects (illustrated),... 24 

Why Trousers Will Rest Firmer on the Hips and 
Keep Closer to the Abdomen (illustrated), — 
Why the Pressure Is First Felt at the Knees, 
Seat, and Top of Front in Sitting (illustrated), 
A Hollow Seat Contracts the Length in Two 
Ways — Ease in Sitting and Striding (illus- 
trated), — How to Avoid the Bulging at the 
Kuee and (he Rising Up from the Bottom, 25 

Figures 1 and 2 Illustrating the Sitting, Walk- 
ing. Running, and Riding Positions — " For- 
ward Front " System Meets the Wants — De- 
fects Cannot Exist Without a Cause — An Ad- 
mirable Fit when Standing, wlien Sitting an 
Alarming Creeping Up — Why is it? the Cure 
(illustrated), 20 

Experienced Cutters Have Formed an Attach- 
ment for — Cutters Are too Exclusive — " Other 
Men's Stuff." — .\11 Are Invited to Criticize 
" Forward Front System !" — Animated Con- 
troversies Arise from Simple Questions,"... 27 

Science of Cutting '■ Thirty Years ago " — Thumb 
Rule — Why Trigonometry Should Be Applied 
to Trousers Cutting — Answer to a Correspond- 
ent, 28 

The Use made of the Reversed Measure (illustra- 
ted) — Practitioners Differ as to Hight of Seat 
—"A Guide, " 29 

Customers' Complaints — Brace Buttons Wrong — 
A System supposed to Be Drawn from the 
Front to the Inside of Leg Seam (illustrated), 30 

M. Compaign, " the Originator " — Mr. Oliver's 
Work Criticized — The "Peg Top Styla(illus- 



trated), — Several Cutters holding First-class 
Positions — \\\ Right when walking on a Level, 
when walking up Stairs, Pressure at Knee, 
Seat, and Front of Thigh" (illustrated), 31 

They Rise from the Foot when Seated — The Sub- 
ject One of vital Importance — " A Reader from 
the First, 32 

A clean fitting Underside (illustrated), — " Many" 
Corpulent Figures — A true Knowledge of the 
Principles or Basis, 33 

iorming the Garment — Observations, Compari- 
sons — A Line of Demarkation — "A Fallacy" 
(illustrated), — Contracting or enlarging at the 
Fork (illustrated), 31 

Unnatural Position — "Feet wide Apart" (illus- 
trated), — The Influence of one Part over An- 
other (illustrated). — What the Spheroidical 
Protuberance Requires (illustrated), 35 

A defective Knowledge — The Legs close together 
or wide Apart (illustrated), — The Use of the 
" rouhtte" (illustrated), — Figure 1 "Illus- 
trates" the Requirements of disproportion- 
ate Conformations in Me Corpulent Forms, 30 

Is the Hollow Scat better than a Round One ? — 
" Discussed " — Principle (illustrated), — Dia- 
gram 2 — A Variety of " Illustrations," 38 

Now Comes the Crisis — Dots a Largc-waisted 
Man Require a Larger Fork ? — A Knotty Point 
for Theorists to Discuss — Diagram 3 — Anoth- 
er Method of illustrating the Idea Embodied, 39 

Deviations Illustrated by Diagram 4 — Faith of 
Cutters in Check or Proof Measure (illustra- 
ted), — A Growing' Tendency on Part of the 
Trade 40 

Systems Taught by Tramping Teachers — A Cor- 
respondent's Theory Discussed (illustrated), 
— Experience the only Safe Monitor, 41 

How Can Old Systems, with the Bottom of the 
Side'Seam Stationary, be Valuable — (illus- 
trated), — Experimenting with the Close and 
Open Style (illustrated), — Introduction of 
" Front Forward System " (illustrated) 42 

Many Hints from Old Garments (illustrated). 



Table of Contents. 



i 



Front Forward System applied to Close-fitting 
(illuslrated), — Influence of the Under Side 
with the Upper (illustrated), 43 

Attention Called to Trincipal Points — Large 
Thigh and Calves — How to Shape — A Sure 
Cure for the Catch or Pull on the Calf of the 
Leg, 44 

What Appears to us one of the Most Important 
Branches — Unsightly Creases Seen — The Rem- 
edy, 45 

The Garment above all Others — Wearing Braces 
a Cause of Hindrance in the Development of 
our Art, 46 

A Blunder in English Trousers — The Love of 

Systems, 47 

"Form," "Patchwork," "Chinese Puzzle," 48 

" Discovery of Error " — " Searching Investiga- 
tion " — Parisian Trousers — "One Point of Ug- 
liness" — "Fits Clean," 49 

Rich Silk and Fine Linen Used — Coming Events 
Cast their Shadows — " Plumb, or Central, 



Line " — Can a Simple, Unbroken, Central Line 
Pass through the Center of every Part of a 
Compound Figure? 50 

Solution of a " Knotty Question " — One or Two 
Things in the Path of Success — Chief Diffi- 
culties — Do we require a Different Draft for a 
Riding Cut (discussed), 51 

Waistbands — Difficulties found — Bottoms — How 
to Form and Make — A Fatal Blunder — Figure 
2— "The Limbs" (illustrated) 52 

A New Feature in Diagram 5 (illustrated), — 
" Utility of the Idea, 53 

Self-varying Principle — "Defects" (illustrated), 54 

Various Methods Discussed (illustrated), — Noth- 
ing Easier than a Problem of Line and Angles 
"Judgment Dictates Changes," 55 

Basis Laid Down for a Comparison between one 
System and Another (illustrated), 56 

Extent of the Changes in the Location of the Legs 
(illustrated), 57 

Sailor's Trousers — -"A System For "(illus- 
trated), — Diagram 8 and 9, 58 



PAE^ I^MIEB 



Easy Lessons for Voung Beginners — Gutting 
and Making — To Begin — " DifiFerent Systems" 
— "A Sad Admission" — Humphrey's, Bel- 
fast's, Wampen's, Minister's, Oliver's, Geo. 
Smith's, and Haifa Dozen Others 60 

" Our Chief Difficulty "—What System Is Cut by 
— On Measuring — " It May Seem Superflu- 
ous" — "Measuring Machines" — "Styles of 
Tapes to Use" — " Advantages Claimed 61 

Great Care in Using the Measure — How the End 
of a Tape Disappeared — "A False Result" 
— A Good Story Is Told— Cleanliness To Be 
Observed — Awkwardness of Some Cutters in 
their Manner of Measuring 62 

Position while Measuring — The Measures — How 
To Be Entered on the Cutting Book — How 
to Use a Pattern — "New Patent Twisted 
Stripcs"—WhatMany Cutters Hold to, 63 

On "Marks" For Making up— " Our Experi- 



ence on the Board" — Danger of Twisting 
Knees — Taking out the Dress — " Illustrated 
by Diagrams " What Many Cutters Allow in 
the Work Shops, 64 

Tom, Dick, and Harry, Have Just Received a 
Pair of Trousers and Opened them on the 
Board— "The First Duty," 64 

The True Philosophy for Staying Garments — 
How to Put in the Pockets — When to Shrink 
the Bottoms, 05 

How to Baste up in a Workmanlike Manner — 
Cutters Should Be Careful when the Lap-seam 
Is Wanted — An Easy Matter to Spoil the 
" Hang " of the Legs by Bad Seaming, 66 

How to Seam the Leg Seams — How to Test the 
Seam when Done on a Machine — What Is 
Used for Sewing Material, 67 

The Job Brought to the Cutting Board for In- 
spection — A Knowledge of the Disease Is Half 



Table of Contents. 



the Cure, 68 

Finding Fault with a Maker for Badly Put on 
buttons — See that they Agree with the Meas- 
ures when Finished 69 

In Esamining the Bottoms Marks Are Seen — 
Poorly Pressed, &o. — The Job Turned Inside 
out To Be Examined — Inspection of the Job 
Completed — Lessons on "Knock-Knees" and 
"Bandy-Legs," "0 

"Knock-Knees" Introduced for Treatment — A 
Feature — " The Small-Kneed Man "—The Pe- 
culiarities Found 71 

What Will Prevent Bulging at the Knee— Ban- 
dy-Legs not a Rare Form of Disproportion — 
Spindlrshanlis and Corkscrews — What Will 



Make a Race of Men with Better Shaped 
Legs 72 

A Special Deformily — "Cause and Cure"— 
"Openness" at the Knet — It Can Be Pro- 
Tided for, 73 

Alterations— When too Wide — When not High 
Enough — When the Side Seam Creases — 
When they Do not Come up in the Fork — If 
not Stride Enough — When the Side Scam 
Comes Forward on the Foot — When they 
Catch at the Knee — When too much Cloth at 
the Side of the Ankle— When they Catch at 
the Calf of the Leg — When too much Cloth 
Under the Thigh — When they Catch on the 
Front of the Thigh 74 



g^m^ F@¥mi^M« 



A System by " Belfast"— Measuring for Trou- 
sers — It Is of the Greatest Importance, &c. (il- 
lustrated), 76 

The Basis of the System — The "Wicket Gate" 
"Belfast" lias Opened into the Fair Domin- 
ion of Trouser Cutting— The Mode of Draft- 
ing (illustrated), 77 

The Principle of the Construction Line (illus- 
trated), — The Undersides (illustrated) 78 

Diagram 2 — For the Proportionate Figure (il- 
lustrated), 79 

Diagram 1 — Trousers for the Corpulent Man,.... 80 

Diagraml, Drawn inthe EasyStyle (illustrated), 
An Important Change Is Necessary in Cut- 
ting for Stout Men— What Has Often Puzzled 



the Young Cutter, 81 

Diagram 2 on Taking out the Dress (illustrated) 
— We Do not Measure the Undress Side — Dia- 
gram 3 Shows Another Method of Providing 

for the Undress Side (illustrated) 82 

Riding Tfousers Illustrated by Diagram 1 — 
How to Make up Biding Trousers, 83 

Breeches and Pantaloons, Illustrated by Dia- 
gram 2, 84 

To Draft Gaiters Illustrated by Diagram 3 — 
How to Make up — Over Erect and Stooping 
Figures, 85 

The Flat Bellied Figure — Prominent Hips — 
Prominent Seats — Bandy Legs — Knock-Knees 
— Large Calves, 86 

Concluding Remarks, 87 



TECE 



' ' ' ^sJeoiS 




i#ffitl. 



P^RT FIRST 



INTRODUCTORY. 

Taking the measurement of your cus- 
tomer for a pair of pantaloons, is the first 
preliminary step, and should be taken 
with the utmost caution, care, and obser- 
vation. We must be cautious to get at 
the correct understanding of our custom- 
er's wants and fancy, by questioning him. 
If we do so with care, observing at the 
same time his peculiar divergencies, if any 
are found, and noting same, we not only 
benefit ourselves, but, we convey to the 
mind of the person our disposition to 
please ; furthermore, it will impress him 
with confidence in our ability as an ar- 
tist, which will be a decided gain to the 
cutter, for when he calls for his job, he 
expects it will be all he fancied — a tasty 
and well-fitting garment. Should there 
happen to be any points that might seem 
defective to a well-trained eye, the facts 
of your willingness to please would lessen 
the defect in the eye of the purchaser, and 
correspondingly would favor you in mak- 
ing it acceptable to him. 

We next note on our measuring book 
the wants of our customer, how he wants 
his pockets put in, and how many ; whether 
a watch or hip pocket; how deep he likes 
them; how high he would like the waist; 
the size, if close or easy around the waist 
and hips ; if made up with a plain seam or 
welt ; how he likes the size of legs, shape 
of the bottoms, &c. These are points 
many will consider of minor importance. 



Those of maturer age, and who have had 
the experience of a quarter of a century, 
will not, or at least should not, be bene- 
fited by the advice given; for the young 
man who contemplates adorning the pro- 
fession, we ask of him to give the matter 
a careful perusal. While we may consider 
them weighty matters for the good of both 
cutter and customer, we would, with all 
deference, respect the opinions of others. 

Taking the size around a person is not 
going to give us a correct understanding 
of his form, that is, whether he is flat hip," 
or narrow in width across the front, and 
fleshy at back ; it only shows us that 
length of the circumference to be fitted. 
In the corpulent form there is quite a dif- 
ference in the shape of the protuberance 
of the abdomen. These facts must be met 
at the onset : the slim, flat seat, the hips 
leaning backward, hips forward, must be 
duly recognized as divergencies from a 
well-proportioned, or what we might con- 
sider a well-developed, figure ; then, the 
difi'erences found in length of leg, more 
particularly the form ; whether straight, 
with a full muscular development, touch- 
ing inside at the thigh, knee, and calf of 
the leg, or what is termed knock-kneed, 
with the feet standing apart. Then we 
find the bow-leg, caused by the knees 
standing apart with the feet close together. 

Again, the foot is found to turn inward 
and outward. We must take cognizance 
of these points, and study the cause, that 
we may be able to eS'ect a cure in the gar- 



10 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



ment that is to cover the said deformities. 
The corpulent figure is found to spread 
his feet, and often we find that the slim 
person does the same. Now for these va- 
rious deficiencies we must draft differently, 
and in some cases, make up with a consid- 
erable difference in the leg-seaming, to 
meet the wants of the customer. This 
subject will be treated separately under 
the heading of "Making up Pantaloons." 

WHAT TO MEASURE WITH. 

What we use is the inch tape measure 
for taking the outside length and sizes 
around, and for getting the inside seam 
length. We have had engraved an illus- 
tration of an instrument we use, which, for 
its simplicity and adaptness in getting said 
measure, is commendable to all. The 
cut represents the size and shape in full, 
also the manner of attaching the tape 
measure, by sewing, as represented by the 
four crosses, which are to show how the 
thread secures the measure from holes 
through the instrument. Said device can 
be made of wood or brass, which, when 
silver-plated, makes a beautiful pantaloon 
measure. To use it, you have only to 
place it up close in fork, which we think 
can be done far better than by any other 
means, and very correct. We can say 
that those who have tried it are loth to 
exchange for any other. 

HOW TO MEASURE. 

For a correct understanding of the 
measurement for pantaloons, we introduce 
an illustration of two figures, Fig. 1 and 
Fig. 2. First we take Fig. 2 to begin 
our work, and will commence by measur- 
ing from A, on outside seam of leg to B, 
40J, usually to the top of heel to boot or 
shoe ; then from A down front in under 
fork, between the legs up over the fleshy 
part of hips at back, to A, the place of 
starting, 32. Then size around the waist 
at 2, just over the hip bone, 30 inches, 
then around hip, 3G inches at 3, and seat 



38J inches at 4 (said measure must not 
be drawn too close), then thigh at 5, 
24 inches, knee at 6, 17 inches, at bot- 
tom 7, 17J inches. The sizes around 
leg must be governed by style or the whims 
of your customer. We now proceed to use 
our pantaloon measure to take the length 
of inside seam from the fork, see Fig. 1, 
at D down to E, the knee bone, then to A, 
top of heel, corresponding with the out- 
side measure. 

With the above we have a complete 
measure as generally used. In addition, 
we have added two other measures for de- 
termining the amount of goods needed 
through the fork, which we claim is a 
point where nearly all the difficulties of 
importance center, in the fitting of the 
garment called pantaloons, or trousers, 
which subject we introduced in the col- 
umns of the Tailors' Intelligencer, in our 
November issue for 1870. In this work 
we will more completely carry out our 
ideas in relation to the subject for fitting 
the corpulent figure. We further claim 
with the use of said measures that we do 
get the needed amount of goods required 
through the crotch at fork junction. Al- 
though we do not need to take said meas- 
ures for every form, yet for the extrem* 
thick hips, and for the large, fleshy, stout 
figure, it is of the greatest importance to 
know the exact length required. 

TO GET THE MEASURE. 

First make a chalk mark in front of 
your customer at B, then take distance 
from A to B, and mark the same length 
from A on the back in center at C, as 
shown by dotted lines. Then place your 
measure at C, and pass the same thjough 
fork up to B, drawing it close so as to take 
up all the surplus goods. How to use said 
measure and make a practical disposition 
of same will be found in the description of 
figure A A, and the complete draft for the 
corpulent person, in Dia. E. 

Let me say before closing the subject 



/ i 




The Great Pantaloons System. 



11 



of measuring, that you can accomplish the 
work by standing on one side of your cus- 
tomer, which would be far better than to 
be in front, and more pleasant to your 
customer, as many are sensitive and nerv- 
ous, and withal quite delicate about any 
roughness or harshness in taking the meas- 
urement for pantaloons. We should avoid 
in every case the giving of offense to our 
patrons. Gentleness with dignity is never 
lost, and in tlie end will grace the adorner. 

ANATOMY OF THE LEG. 

In furnishing an illustration of the out- 
line of a leg, we do it to better convey the 
causes of the differently formed limbs found 
in our examination of this subject, and for 
a more complete description of the anat- 
omy of the leg, see another portion of this 
work. In this cut, extending from left 
side at top, and passing at 1 obliquely 
across the limb, then descending vertically 
as far as the inner side of the knee, &c., 
is found the longest muscle in the body, 
named, Sartorius, or the tailor's muscle. 
It is so named from its bending the knee 
and drawing the leg across. It is a flat, 
narrow, ribbon-like muscle, and to the left 
of this muscle is the Tensor Vagina; Fem- 
oris, a short, flat muscle situated at the 
upper and outer side of the thigh. We 
have found individuals with this muscle so 
much enlarged as to cause the leg of a pair 
of pants to swing so the outside seam 
would turn in on top of foot. It is rarely 
found, and in this instance it was caused 
by an injury of the thigh. Situated in the 
middle of the thigh 2 2, is found the Rec- 
tus Femoris, on the outside of this mus- 
cle, and situated below the main part of 
Tensor Vaginre Femoris, is found Vastus 
Exturnus, which are the principal muscles 
that assist to make up a full thigh in front. 
Below the knee, at the outside of leg. A, 
3, the largest muscle in front is found, 
called the Tibialis Anticus. It is thick 
and fleshy at its upper part and tendi- 
nous below. At the back of the leg, oppo- 
site this muscle, we find the muscles in 



this region subdivided into two layers, 
superficial and deep. The superficial 
layer constitutes a powerful muscular 
mass, forming what is called the calf of 
le<T. Its large size is one of the most 
characteristic features of the muscular ap- 
paratus in man, and bears direct connec- 
tion with his ordinary attitude and mode 
of progression. The superficial layer is 
composed of the Gastrocnemius, Soleus, 
and Plantaris. The Gastrocnemius is the 
most superficial muscle, and forms the 
greater part of the calf. Descending, it 
unites with the tendon of the Soleus, and 
forms with it the tendo Achillis. The 
Soleus is a broad, fiat muscle, situated 
immediately beneath the preceding. It 
receives its name from the fancied re- 
semblance it bears to a sole-fish. This 
muscle also unites with tendon Gastroc- 
nemius and forms with it the tendo Achil- 
lis. The tendo Achillis is the thickest 
and strongest tendon in the body, and is 
about six inches in length. 

The Plantaris is an extremely diminu- 
tive muscle, placed between the Gastroc- 
nemius and Soleus, and remarkable for its 
long and delicate tendon. It forms a 
small fusiform belly, about two inches in 
length, terminating in a long, slender ten- 
don, which crosses obliquely between the 
two muscles of the calf, and runs along 
the inner border of the tendo Achillis. 
This muscle is occasionally double, and is 
sometimes wanting. 

Nerves. These muscles are supplied by 
the internal popliteal nerve. 

Actions. The muscles of the calf pos- 
sess considerable power, and are constantly 
called into use in standing, walking, danc- 
ing, and leaping ; hence the large size 
they usually present. In walking, these 
muscles draw powerfully upon the os-cal- 
cis, raising the heel, and, with it, the en- 
tire body, from the ground ; the body be- 
ing thus supported on the raised foot, the 
opposite limb can be carried forward. In 
standing, the Soleus, taking its fixed point 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



from below, steadies the leg upon the foot, 
and prevents the body from falling for- 
ward, to which there is a constant tendency 
from the superincumbent weight. The 
Gastrocnemius, acting from below, serves 
to flex the Femur upon the Tibia, assisted 
by the Popliteus. The Plantaris is the rudi- 
ment of a large muscle which exists in 
some of the lower animals, and serves as 
a tensor of the Plantar Fascia. 

Popliteus is one of the deep layer of 
muscles ; is thin, flat, and triangular. Its 
actions are to assist in flexing the leg upon 
the thigh. When the leg is flexed, it may 
rotate the Tibia inward. The Tibia is the 
large bone extending from knee joint to 
the foot. 

These extracts we have furnished from 
Gray's Anatomy. We do it to bring the 
facts before the minds of many that, in all 
probability, have never entered into an 
examination of the subject. Every cutter 
should study anatomy thoroughly in its 
primary arrangements, to better facilitate 
a correct understanding of the human 
form. Wc had the privilege in our youth- 
ful days to attend two full courses of An- 
atomical Lectures, arid we have never seen 
cause to regret the time spent in the in- 
vestigation of the greatest study — the 
study of man. The muscular changes 
brought about in the legs of different per- 
sons, where there are full developments 
found, have a tendency to, and do in most 
every instance, cause trouble to every cut- 
ter. To obviate the many diSiculties, the 
plan has been, to make all corrections in 
making up the job, instead of striking more 
particularly at the root of the matter, and 
correcting the drafting at first. 

For these reasons it must be obvious to 
the candid reader who examines the sub- 
ject with attention and subtility, that cor- 
responding results must come from incor- 
rect working at the onset. There is found 
in most of the deformed lejjs a muscular 
cause for the disturbance in nature. We 
ask. Does not the full calf proceed from 



an extended muscular development? It 
is certainly plain that such is the result. 
So in the full, extended thigh, &c. We 
are certain that no person can examine 
this subject without being well satisfied 
with the results. 

With these brief remarks, we leave it, 
to take up again in discussing the various 
forms found in practice. 

PRINCIPLES OF DRAFTING. 

Having, in a brief manner, presented 
the subjects of measuring, and the anat- 
omy of the leg, we will now proceed to 
examine the relations existing between the 
above-named and the mode of producing 
a draft to meet the various shapes afore- 
named. What we wish to accomplish is, 
to impress upon the minds of any person 
who may chance to possess a copy of this 
work, that we aim to prove to you that : 
First, we do not find in any one system or 
arrangement for drafting pantaloons the 
divergencies requisite to meet the wants of 
the trade ; Second, that there is needed by 
the trade in this country, a work of this 
kind ; Third, that we shall endeavor to es- 
tablish the fact that for difierently-formed 
men, we must have a different mode of 
producing a draft, in order to produce a 
correctly-balanced pair of pantaloons for 
each ; Fourth, then if we establish our po- 
sition, we shall prove that, with the use of 
one pattern, as taught by a leading metro- 
politan fashion reporter, it will be impos- 
sible to fit different forms by the process 
of simply adding to, or taking from, a sim- 
ple block, equally applied to front or back ; 
Fifth, we will show that while one needs 
more stride to leg, another needs more 
balance in front; and still another requires 
a narrower front and wid« backs ; while 
again, another requires more outside length 
from hip to heel ; and another, equal width 
of front with back, &c. 

To assist us in the examination of this 
subject we will first introduce outline, 
Dia. A. Line A, B, C, is to represent 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



13 



the edge of cloth, as it is, from the edge 
of the goods, we always take out our fore- 
part of a pair of pantaloons. This dia- 
gram is for the purpose of developing our 
idea of the changes required in the mode 
of balancing the foreparts, first noting 
this, that the forming of the back-parts is 
subservient to the front. 

We shall first claim that a man who 
stands with his legs close together (see po- 
sition of leg B, Dia. B), requires more 
length of goods from 3 to g, Dia. B, which 
corresponds to the distance from B to C, 
Dia. A, than he does from 2 to e, corre- 
sponding to d and H, Dia. A, which propo- 
sition would prove that less length would 
be required from d to c, Dia. A, corre- 
sponding with distance from 2 to g, Dia. B. 

The same argument is applicable to the 
man with a full stride of leg, by reversing 
the proposition, which will be seen in leg 
A, Dia. B. Thus the distance is short- 
ened from 1 to a, on the outside of leg A, 
showing very plainly that an increase of 
length is produced from 2 to a. Admitting 
the premises to be correct, is it not plain 
that we should deviate in accordance with 
the facts in drafting the balance for the 
two forms ? Certainly ; facts are stubborn 
things. 

The inquiry arises how to meet the 
issue, and produce effect from cause, and 
right here we will introduce an article 
from us under the head of " Studies on 
Pantaloons," found in No. 7, Tailors' 
Intelligencer for June, 1871, as it relates 
to Dia. B, and may assist in clearing 
up the dim surroundings so long befog- 
ging the subject of pantaloons fitting. 

In the following review of our illus- 
trated Dia. B, we propose to use it as 
an instrument, if you will allow us to garb 
it as such, while we use it to assist in the 
delicate work of probing the intricacies of 
the great subject of panialoons cutting, 
that we may, with this and other novel- 
formed illustrations, dissect and ultimately 



reach the depth of the wound, and extract 
from among the crushed and bleeding ar- 
teries, the cause of all evil to the fibers we 
wish to use in enveloping the pillars of 
the greatest superstructure ever created — 
man. To the point, again we call your 
attention to the Figure, whereby we will 
endeavor to bring out things, both new 
and old. On each side we have erected 
two perpendiculars, 1 and 3 ; parallel with 
same we have a third, extending from 2 
to e. Radiating from 1, we have lines ex- 
tending respectively to b, c, d. Leg A, 
hanging perpendicular with line from 1 to 
a, serves to illustrate the point we wish to 
reach, in the figure of a man with stride 
or openness to legs in walking or stand- 
ing, while leg B shows the opposite, and 
is to illustrate the close or straight leg. 
It is an undeniable fact that we find in 
practice both of these positions. You may 
say. What has that to do with the subject t 
Merely to call your attention to the point 
again. Did you ever see a pair of panta- 
loons with the side-band swung around on 
top of foot ? Did you ever see your panta- 
loons raise at heel on outside from 1 to 3 
inches every time the wearer steps, or 
when he sits down they seem to creep up 
half way to the knee ? If so, do you 
know what the cause of it is ? If not, 
then let us reason together for a few mo- 
ments, and see if our illustration will not 
assist to ventilate a few of the many diffi- 
culties. Observe that leg A, representing 
the open leg, requires less length from 1 
to b, the center of forepart, and more from 
2 to b, than its fellow, leg B, which is the 
representation of the close leg. What ef- 
fect would we have in a pair of pantaloons 
cut v.'ith open legs when worn by the close 
form ? Observe, we find in leg B that 
from 3 to f, the center of forepart, we find 
greater length than in leg A. To the 
question : Let me ask. Would we not find 
too much length of goods in crotch formed 
into wrinkles from the knee up ? We 
would. Do you not think we would find 
the bottom on outside of heel standing off 



14 



The Greed Pantaloons System. 



from foot, and raise from one to three 
inches when the foot is thrown forward in 
the act of stepping ? Certainly. The 
effect showing itself and the cause also, 
then we ask how to apply the remedy. 
The only way is to produce a differently- 
formed draft for your close and open legs 
respectively. You may say that is all 
wrong and useless, it can all be accom- 
plished in seaming and stretching when 
making up ; if so, try it. We think that 
the last remedy has been quite thoroughly 
tested, and still we find the evil continu- 
ally existing. What we want is, that the 
reader of this article will examine the 
grounds we establish in order to bring out 
specific and lasting results. 

Now we will suppose we want to cut a 
job for a person that is close in leg, full 
hip, round and narrow across from 1 to 2, 
Dia. B, position straight, full, muscular 
developed limbs. How to proceed to fit 
such a form : First, we will let the meas- 
ure stand as taken, from (See diagram for 
measuring, Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.) A to B 40| 
inches, around waist 30, hips 3G, seat 38|, 
thigh 24, knee 17, bottom 18, inside seam 
from D to E, 12, A 31. 

TO DRAFT. 

From said measure, we will use Dia. D 
to represent the figure complete. First 
draw on the edge of cloth, line A A, and 
from the top edge having the nap of goods 
running from right to left. Lay oflF the 
first measure taken from A to B, giving 
the outside seam length which is 40|, to 
C ; then square out from C, by line A A, 
to /, say 7 inches or whatever the dis- 
tance should be, to meet the demand of 
style. Then divide the distance from C to 
/equally 3^ inches, then divide the distance 
equally from C to e, If inches. Said 
principle of division of the middle of front 
to be carried out in this style of person, 
when you wish to produce a draft, front 
forward for that peculiarly - shaped 
form. We now apply the length of in- 



seam from / to 12, 31 inches, then plac- 
ing chalk at 12, with the right hand, the 
left holding the tape measure at d, sweep 
(as shown by dotted line) to N, where the 
sweep crosses line A A at N. There 
place square and draw line to 12. For 
this form person we use division of hip 
36, to give width to front. 6 is ^ the dis- 
tance between N and 12, 9 is | the dis- 
tance 11, one inch less the distance 12, 
then draw center line, B B, from e to 6, 
and up to full hight of front. Draw line 
from 11 to 31, drawing curve line from 
12 to intersect for dress. Now square up 
from 9, by line, from N to 12, sweep from 
40J to K M, by starting from d, then 
square across from M to K, \ of waist 7J 
inches. Finish shape of dress as shown, 
also curve to side-seam. For plain goods 
without stripe, go in from line A A at P, 
I to I inch. Let it be observed that in 
the drafting of the forepart as described 
and illustrated, we demonstrate two facts : 
First, we produce the Front forward 
System in a simple and eificient man- 
ner. Second, in so doing, we shorten the 
distance of front between M and 12 at 
knee, and when the pantaloons are on the 
wearer the fronts will be clean fitting in 
front, and when sitting there is less goods 
in the bend of thigh. There will be an 
even hang on the inside leg-seam, and the 
outside will drop close to the boot, with- 
out that disagreeable swing off so often 
noticed on the wearer. At the same time 
the back is helped to assume a far more 
pleasing effect on the wearer. 

TO DRAFT THE BACK-PART. 

We commence by first extending sweep 
from K to 40|, from 12 to R, from N out 
extend line from f to g, C to H, the dis- 
tance equally divided from the center of 
front, e, from 12 to R, is one-twelfth of 
hip measure, that is J the full size is 
counted in making up the division gener- 
ally, and some only enter -J the size of the 
circumference measures, when they take 




9 f e d 



The Great Pantaloons Systein. 



15 



the measure, thus for 30, waist, enter 15, 
hip, 18, seat, 19J, &c, which mode is only 
fancy. The distance from 12 to R, will 
be treated in full in the explanations ac- 
companying Dia. E, also Figure A A. 
We now apply the knee measure. Let 
me observe here, that for open stride we 
form the curve line to back on inside seam 
at 12, from one to two inches out. (depend- 
ing upon the size at the knee), from 7J 
measure to 12, deducting the length from 
32, the measure taken through fork up to 
hip, applying the balance of length from 
R out to L. Then draw line to P, advanc- 
ing out at N, 1\ to 2 inches according to 
the fullness shown in the form of your 
customer's hips, finishing curve to style ; 
or if the customer has a fleshy calf add 
round in proportion where shown below 
A, P. Take out a V in back near K of 
one inch, then apply balance of the waist 
measure from L to S, allowing for seams, 
(the back line from N to P is not hollowed 
quite enough, a mistake of the engraver, 
which only affects the looks of the draft 
not the principle) ; raise back at S from 
top of forepart 31 inches. 

WELL-PROPORTIONED DRAFT. 

To draw a diagram for the medium or 
well-proportioned figure we commence by 
marking off line A B C on edge of the 
cloth (See Dia. A) ; measuring the length 
from A to C for the outside seam. Then 
proceed to square across as before de- 
scribed to H, laying out the length from 
H to e, for the forepart, sweep curve 
line from e to B, then square across from 
B to e, and square up from same line to 
2. (See Cut, Fig. 2.) For a complete 
draft draw from the same balance, that 
is to establish line from N to D and 
K. First sweep from center of front 
at 33, to sweep from, that the distance 
from N to G is same as from D to A. 

We will use cut, Fig. 2, to represent 
the stout form, or, the same modus oper- 
andi that is adopted when drafting for the 



proportionate. Whether slim in form or 
stout, the balance is the same. This 
draft is drawn from a measure that would 
be considered by many to represent the 
corpulent form owing to the large hip 
measure, 45. We designate the size as 
from a stout, well-proportion form. 

The measures as taken, were thus : from 
F to G 44J, hip balance, from F through 
fork and return to H, is 40J. Size around 
waist, 43 ; hip, 45 ; seat, 42, this custom- 
er's abdomen did not protrude very much. 
The extra size was also shown about the 
hips, being well developed all around the 
body ; that is, fleshy. Whereas in a cor- 
pulent form the extra size around is seen 
more in front by the extension of the ab- 
domen, quite often you will find spare hips 
in such a form, 28, thigh, 20, knee, 18, 
bottom, 14 from D to E the knee, to A 
full length inside seam 33. We divide the 
distance from N to D in drafting the 
front, same as described in the previous 
illustration of Dia. D, usins h the seat 
measure to produce the division from N 
to D that is 21 inches, one half of which 
would be lOJ inches. 

Note. Let it be understood that the 
difference between the inside measure of 
leg-seam 33, and outside seam to F 44J, 
gives us the raise of front from N up to F. 
We square across the top from F and 
raise the top of forepart at M one inch. 
The forepart at top is drawn back from 
front balance line at M one inch. 

After cutting out the forepart, we will 
proceed to lay off the back-part, as shown. 
We will first square across at D and E, 
then sweep from F to II, by starting from 
N (Fig. 2), then sweep from D to K, 
starting from E. From A to B and C is 
41 inches. See explanation to cut A A. 

Now proceed to raise the hight of back 
from L to I, 3i inches, deducting the 3J 
inches, raise of back from 24, the measure 
taken from B in front around through the 
crotch to C on the back seam leaves us 



IG 



Th& Great Pantaloons System. 



20J inches. Now measure, following your 
curve to foreparts, from B to D, which 
distance take from the 20i inches, and ap- 
ply the balance from C to K on curve to 
back-part. Said application will give just 
the amount of goods required for stride of 
seat, adding seams if the measure is drawn 
too close. We now have the distance laid off 
that governs said points. We will pro- 
ceed to apply the balance measure, 40i. 
Take the distance from D to F on fore- 
parts, from 40i, and apply the balance 
from K out on sweep to H. The applica- 
tion of said measure gives to a certainty 
the amount of goods required for motion 
of hips in stooping, &c. Now take width 
of forepart at top, and lay off one half 
waist measure from II to I, &c., and finish 
the balance to style or fancy, and when 
the foreparts are cut as shown and the 
measures applied as directed, you will find 
your extra round usually carried forward 
on forepart, at H, and the pants will close 
in front all right when buttoned. 

We will now proceed to investigate the 
corpulent form, and discuss the principles 
existing between the shape, and mode of 
drafting, best suited for enveloping this 
structure, to give ease and fit, and withal 
give confidence to the cutter. In knowing 
that he works from the right standpoint, 
with an understanding of the principal 
points to be met and overcome, then he 
can enter into the work with feelings of 
ability that are not enjoyed without this ev- 
idence within his grasp. 

CORPULENT FORMS. 

The question may be asked, What are 
the differences existing in the conformation 
of this Figure? We find that the corpu- 
lent man in fact presents quite a diver- 
gence from the proportionate structure, 
than is found in the stout form. Thus the 
corpulent man may present a full, extended 
abdomen with a large waist, and at the 
same time have small limbs, with spare 
hips or seat, and again he will present the 



full hip and seat, whereas the stout form 
may present us with the full hips, seat, 
heavy limbs, with a large hip measure, and 
still not present that rounded extension of 
abdomen before mentioned. 

IN STANDING. 

There is quite a difference to be observed 
and taken into consideration in the attitude 
of standing which has a powerful effect 
on the fitting of pantaloons for these shape 
of men, while the stout, full, muscular 
limbed man may stand close, the corpulent 
man will always be seen standing with his 
feet spread apart as if in fear of losing 
his equilibrium, or that the extra weight 
carried will overcome the laws of gravita- 
tion and upset him completely. Thus it 
is found that this formed person is very 
erect in form ; if otherwise, it is caused by 
the head's leaning forward, when at the 
same time the blades will be flat. We look 
at the condition of the corpulent person to 
resemble the position a person assumes, 
when for instance he should ^ake in his 
hands a large weighty package and at- 
tempt to carry it in front of him. 

. That we present in the Dia. E, and 
Cut A A, will, wc think, satisfy the candid 
examiner that our premises, that for dif- 
ferent shapes we must use different formed 
drafts, are correct. We will present with 
Cut A A, extracts contained in No. 2 of 
The Tailors Intelligencer, describing the 
same, &c. 

In the classification of the different 
shaped men, we must necessarily take into 
account the changes of proportions to be 
met with constantly in practice, and which 
will be found among all of them, namely, 
the small waist and large hip ; also, full 
waist. And then we meet the flat, wide- 
spread hip ; also the flat and small hips ; 
those leaning back, and those stooping ; 
the bow-leg, the leg with the calf project- 
ins out ; also the knock-kneed, and those 
with the feet turning in and out, etc. All 
these deformities, existing as they do, must 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



17 



be met, and treated with due courtesy. 
Besides the different-sliaped persons re- 
ferred to, we find the one to be fitted has his 
opinions to advance as to thelength, breadth, 
hi crht, and form, of garment thatbest pleases 
his fancy. We have to allow his dicta- 
tions in most cases, although they may be 
contrary to our own views, and technical- 
ities pointed out too often influence our bet- 
ter judgment ; whereas, if we were allowed 
to display our taste, and use our experi- 
ence in the matter, there would be a wide 
difference in the results when attained. 

To illustrate : The person to be measured 
tells you he wants his pants cut high in 
the waist, full around the hips, etc., you 
knowing that if you do cut them as di- 
rected, the result will be a lap-full of sur- 
plus goods when the wearer is sitting. So 
we might enumerate from size to length, 
etc. Now, there is no other alternative 
but to abide the wish of your customer. 
Far different would be our position, were 
we allowed the use of our faculties unre- 
strained. If we were at all times to act 
our own pleasure, and use the judgment 
wrought from practice, could we not far 
more often please our patrons ? Such a 
result would ensue, were the cutter an ar- 
tist possessed of a refined and cultivated 
taste, endowed with a practical experience 
in the art of pantaloon fitting. 

Facts and forces must be met and over- 
come, if possible. In the issue before us, 
there is no compromising the matter. In 
the examination of this subject, the ques- 
tion arises, with the different forms to be 
fitted, what manner of procedure must be 
entered upon to produce the best results ? 
Now to answer many inquiries, and to show 
what we declared as a new feature in cutting 
for the corpulent form, we have had en- 
graved the outlines of one leg (A A), and 
one half of the body to the waist, showing 
the proportionate figure and also by dotted 
lines the form of a corpulent man, and in 
connection, the draft to forepart of a pair 
of pants, asdrawn from measure prepara- 



tory to cutting, representing in them the 
proportionate and corpulent form of draft ; 
and from this illustration we intend to elu- 
cidate the points previously advanced for 
fitting the corpulent form, and demonstrate, 
in an original and novel manner, the rela- 
tion a draft of forepart to pants retain in 
their application to the fitting of the form 
referred to. My proposition in a previous 
article was, that adding the extra round as 
shown in diagram by line h G forward of 
the balance line L, to give size, and form 
a receptacle for the abdominal protuber- 
ance found in the corpulent form, was 
wrong, it being the plan universally adopt- 
ed and used for said structures. We still 
hold to our previous affirmation that line 
h G should not be carried forward of the 
balance line L. 

Many have written us as though they 
were touched in a sensitive point, and say 
we cannot prove the points we wish to es- 
tablish, and then, in the very next sen- 
tence, ask us how we are going to prove 
any such assertions. While others affirm 
that we cannot produce any such proof, 
and then they try to bring in their theo- 
ries to advocate the plan so universally 
adopted in drafting. For instance, one 
writer tells me to stuff a bundle of cloth 
in front of my pants, or somebody else's 
pants, and in so doing we can learn how to cut 
for a corpulent form . Now, we would ad- 
vance an idea : As nearly every man that 
wears a pair of pantaloons is furnished by 
nature with quite a lump of flesh to form 
the hips, we would ask why not be as par- 
ticular to add an extra round in your draft 
of the back-parts, to form a receptacle for 
stooping and sitting, instead of raising the 
top of back three or four inches, for the 
purpose of securing room for the motion of 
the hips ? If we can accomplish in the 
draft of the back-part of a pair of pants 
the feat of cutting a straight edge to our 
goods, and by adding the amount taken 
off in another place to produce the required 



18 



TJie Great Pantaloons System. 



result, so we can in the forepart of a pair 
of pants for a corpulent form. 

In the diagram ivill be found ascribed 
the sector a B C contained within the ra- 
dii « B a C, and the arc B C, is a sector 
of the circle or sweep, of which the arc B 
C is a portion, with the perpendicular a d. 
As the hight or distance from a B rt C 
are the same, a representing the ankle 
bono, B the center of back, c the center of 
front, if we measure from c to d, on curve 
line through the crotch to B, will it not 
give the exact length of goods required 
between the two points? Again, observe 
the relation the draft in front has to the 
line J, the proportionate form, and with 
the dotted line ^■ representing the corpulent 
shape. If line L is drawn correct for 
the proportionate form, in drafting the 
forepart, touching as it does line J at c, 
then should it not be drawn to touch dotted 
line i for the corpulent man ? Again, which 
requires the most length from c io d'i 
Why, you answer, as any scholar in school 
would, that the dotted line at c was the far- 
thest off. Now, we would ask again, if meas- 
urinff from line 7t G to d does not shorten 
the distance from line L to c? ? If so, a 
corpulent form requires more length from 
L to d than the proportionate man. Then 
why shorten that distance by drawing line 
h G forward of line L ? 

CORPULENT PANTALOONS. 

The accompanying diagram E serves to 
moi-e completely carry out our illustration 
of the open cut pantaloons mentioned un- 
der the heading, " Studies on Pantaloons." 
The diagram is an exact copy reduced from 
the original draft cut by the author for a 
large, fleshy man, with a full, round abdom- 
inal protuberance. What do you think 
his wife said to me when taking the meas- 
ure (by the way, they were as near of a 
size as two persons you ever met as man 
and wife), showing she was capable of giv- 
ing the following ? (One side, privately.) 
Now, Mr. Salisbury, you want to remem- 



ber and not cut my husband's pantaloons 
round in front because he is round. That 
is the way every cutter does, and he never 
gets a pair of pantaloons that suit him, 
they have so much fullness when he is sit- 
ting down. Cut them just as you would 
for yourself, and raise the top of pants in 
front, and they will fit better. Query: 
Where did the lady learn these most esti- 
mable points of working out the only cor- 
rect principles ever advanced for cutting 
to fit the said form ? We told the lady we 
would certainly do so. The result was, 
the customer was completely satisfied. He 
found them to balance properly, plenty of 
stride, no drawing up when sitting, and a 
removal of the surplus goods that slipped 
down off the round of abdomen, and lay in 
folds across the bend of thighs; when 
standing, a clean fitting front, plenty of 
room when stooping, in fact, entirely satis- 
factory in every particular. 

The sizes are marked at all points as 
measured. Draw off as shown, and follow 
the instructions with care. 

DESCRIPTION OF DIAGRAM E. 

To copy this illustration, first draw line 
A A on the edge of your goods. From 
to A is 43i inches. Square out to 31, for 
the width of fronts, 8 inches, b is the point 
from which we start to sweep from g to c, 
and is 6 inches from line A, or | the width 
of fronts at the bottom. Now proceed to 
sweep from g to c, the length of inside 
leg-seam, 31 inches, then square across 
from c to g ; from c to g is 15 inches ; ^ 
of the seat measure, 45. c to e is llj 
inches, or \ of 45 inches ; from g to F one 
inch off for dress. Draw line from F to 
31. c to d is I of 15, or \ of 45, 11 inches. 
Draw line from d to the center of forepart 
at the bottom. 

Square up from e, the front balance, 
and square across for top of front from 0, 
from 31 to top is 441 inches, as measured ; 
form the top of fronts one inch in from 
front balance line, then square across to 0. 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



10 



We take off \ inch at 0, from the 
width, or leave it straight up. It is op- 
tional with the cutter. Shape front as 
shown by the curved lines. Let it be ob- 
served that we give in this plan the length 
from knee, 12 to 44J, that is needed for 
a man of this form. Also shortens at side- 
seam, and gives the needed stride, and will 
not draw on the knees, that extent found 
in the usual mode of balancing pantaloons. 
A cai'eful look at the points in the draft, 
and taking into consideration the form to 
be clothed, we will see at once the corre- 
sponding features delineated in the diagram. 

THE BACK-PART. 

In drafting the back, first square across 
at A to N N, finish the sweep from g to h, 
and from c out one-twelfth, or as much 
more as you desire for extra size. We 
make the width of back-part at the bot- 
tom equal distance from the center of fore- 
part, each way. 

We now come to the practical working of 
Cut A A, and to the solution of the prob- 
lem whether the proper amount of goods 
can be determined to a mathematical dem- 
onstration in fitting the human form 
through the fork and thighs and around 
the seat. We think this can be done by 
the use of two measures extra, and that 
the same plan can be used for all shapes 
or sizes. We will lay ofi" the hight from 
31 to 38, the measures as taken, in inches, 
then deduct the hight of raise to the back- 
parts, from top of front line to i, say 3J 
inches from 22 J, the measure as taken from 
C around through fork to B (Cut A A) ; 
then take the distance from 38 to g, from 
19 inches and the balances use from 38 to 
h, which will determine the distance from 
g to h ; then apply the hip balance from 
to g, and from h to 42|-, which gives the 
distance to carry out the back from ; 
then from \1\ to i is the balance of waist 
measure with seams added. 

Then draw line from i to g, to form the 



curve of seat-seam. We now proceed to 
finish tha curve lines as represented. 

Note. In taking the measures for the 
corpulent man or others as shown in Fig. 
A, the measure should be drawn quite 
close from B around to C, on the back 
seam. 

A person may use the same measures 
given in Dia. E, and by drafting from the 
same balance used in forming Dia. D, 
he would destroy the shape and fit of a 
pair of pantaloons intended for a corpulent 
man, and vice versa to use the balance 
from Dia. E to cut from the measures of 
Dia. D. It is thus you can determine to 
an actual demonstration by making the 
trial. 

Then as we throw the front balance 
forward in Dia. D for the small waist, and 
for the corpulent man back as devel- 
oped in Dia. E, this fact is proved, that 
for the small waist, as discussed previ- 
ously, we carry the front balance some 
two inches farther forward than for the 
corpulent man, proving that the custom 
usually adopted in extending the forepart 
formed of the front balance was wrong in 
principle, and only gave circumference 
that would show itself in folds when the 
wearer was sitting, and produce a lap full 
of goods that give rise to so much trouble 
with said forms, while we claim that with 
the mode introduced in Dia. E, we pre- 
vent these serious difficulties and produce 
a garment that will adapt itself to the va- 
rious shapes and attitudes of the form un- 
der discussion. 

TO CUT FROM STRIPED GOODS. 

How frequently do we sec persons with 
pantaloons on that arc made up from stripe 
cassimere who have the appearance of be- 
ing a walking advertisement for some bar- 
ber-shop, when viewed from the rear. In- 
stead of the stripes extending up and down 
the leg parallel, they wind from knee to 
bottom. To cure this evil, we introduce 



20 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



an illustration, showing how to lay out 
the draft, and produce the pantaloons so 
that when they are made up the stripe 
will hang perpendicular. Showing the 
center line A A on hack parallel with stripe 
of goods explains the way of working far 
better than pages of printed directions, 
for the whole plan is taken in at a glance 
from the engraving. 

The reason why the lines in striped pan- 
taloons run rather obliquely from hip to bot- 
tom on backs, is because pantaloons are larg- 
er at the hip than the bottom ; and when cut- 
ting them out of the stuff if the side-seam 
at bottom is put to the edge, the stripes 
will slant from the hip to leg-seam. To 
avoid this, make a mark on your pattern 
at waist, one-fourth of the waist measure, 
then mark at bottom, the center of the in- 
step, and draw a line from mark to mark. 
Let this line match the lines of the material, 
and, when finished, the lines will run 
straight from the center of the waist to the 
center of the foot. 

HOW TO SHAPE THE LEG. 

How to shape the leg of a pair of close 
fitting pantaloons, is quite a serious diffi- 
culty to many. And how the leg should 
look when seamed up, we have illustrat- 
ed in presenting one-half of a pair fin- 
ished, and ready for joining together. We 
think the correct plan to get the best shape 
into a leg, is first to shrink your forepart 
before seaming, then to trim off some of 
the extra round thrown out on the edges, 
and then to shrink the backs to match the 
shape of forepart ; then to shrink in back 
of knee well up into seat. In thus doing 
you will produce a clean fit in back of 
thigh. 



RANDOM THOUGHTS ON PAN- 
TALOONS FITTING. 

I have long ago observed that there is a 
great proneness among cutters to blunder 
when they undertake to make prettily fit- 



ting pants for the corpulent figure. The 
general fault is to be too short at top, in 
middle seam, and frequently coupled with 
a disagreeable tendency of the outer seam 
getting front upon the foot. This misfit- 
ting is obviously caused by an erroneous for- 
mation of the garment, based upon the 
false idea that a common square for strik- 
ing the top, together with the usual use of 
divisions of hip-measure, for getting the 
wanted stride, &c., &c., is all that is needed, 
adding only the belly line to be set forward 
in conformity, as is supposed, to the figure 
of said part. 

This last expedient always insures the 
hip-round to be very considerable, even 
w^hen the front is cut one-fourth of waist, 
which, certainly, is always wrong for stout 
or straight figures, both in the width of 
front, and curve of hip-se<am. For years, 
I thought that some how or other the 
stride should be proportioned to waist size. 
The experiment was not fully as I could 
wish ; and next I mixed that idea with hip- 
scale ; but still the experiment was unsat- 
isfactory ; lastly, I have settled in the con- 
clusion that stride is allied to, and con- 
trolled by, nothing else but the depth of 
thigh at crotch ; and that front or belly 
seam for corpulent men, should recede in- 
stead of advance, whatever the necessity of 
rounding side-seam, in order to set the 
pockets well forward. Moreover, I am 
convinced that proportions of hip-measure 
for sizing the fronts and backs of pants, 
are as little reliable, for general use, as if 
one were to attempt to cut the waist by 
them. 

The reason is obvious ; all flat-bodied 
figures are disproportionably wide at hips, 
and thin fore and aft ; while all corpulent 
figures are the reverse. 

Neither can the radiating measure from 
the instep of foot determine the altitude 
of the front seam any more than the 
shoulder measure, and the size of crotch 
and hips cannot establish the relative and 



HOW TO SHAPE THE LEG. 




Tlie Great Pantaloons System. 



21 



appropriate sizes of front and back of 
pants at crotch, and at hip-spring, &;c., &c. 
Indeed, as I apprehend the problem, to in- 
sure constant success in the cutting of 
pants, one must fully appreciate the fact 
that front and rear halves must each have 
its distinctive and appropriate formation ; 
and to attain this great desideratum, I am 
constrained to say that the methods and 
measures heretofore employed, are very 
ineffectual ; because all has been done by 
a few circumferic measures, or fractions 
thereof, the whole theory quite ignoring 
the very tangible fact, which is almost self- 
evident, that men are so variously formed 
as that some are much larger in front than 
in rear ; and these are generally, rela- 
tively, as much longer in front ; yet, in 
other instances, we see those men whose 
disproportions are all rear. 

These all cannot be reliantly remedted 
by eye variations. Yet the crying want is 
that all men covet neatly-fitting pants. 

My proposition is, that appropriate meas- 
ures will determine to a demonstration the 
sizes of the various portions of the lower 
body and legs, both as to lengths and 
breadths, so that their deductions and facts 
will leave us no alternative but to make an 
application of them, and behold the con- 
sistency of truth as applicable to a true 
method of drafting pants so as to avoid all 
cramped distortion, and ugly wrinkles, 
either sitting or standing. 

The general tendency in pants to draw 
a great way up the legs, when the wearer 
is sitting, is one of the greatest perplex- 
ities with which the tailor has to contend 
— and that, too, without much hope of a 
sure remedy — the fault is so general. We 



know well enough that all garments should 
be so shaped and constructed as to con- 
tain a capacity for self-adjustment ; or, at 
least, with a provision in them to avoid 
displacement and distortion in the various 
altitudes and positions into which the hu- 
man body is liable to be thrown. The vest 
must not be so cramped on hip seam and 
so small in scye as to be greatly liable to 
work up and be wrinkled in breast. 

The coat must be so balanced as not to 
wear the tendency to roll under the collar, 
or to wrinkle under the arms, or to work 
up at waist. 

And, as before hinted, pantaloons, the 
favorite of all garments, are generally ob- 
noxious to the charge of containing the 
very least capacity for self-adjustment. 
The difficulty lies in this : the human fig- 
ure, in the sitting position, is so extended 
in its outer angle, and so contracted in the 
front, by the bending, as that all shoulder 
braces, however elastic, as well as all seat- 
surplus, however placed, has proved an in- 
effectual remedy or preventive of the fright- 
ful distortion complained of. 

The case, however, is not hopeless ; for 
I think it reasonable that when the length 
of pants in the seat is in agreement with 
the measures for that purpose with the 
wanted surplus at crotch-junction rightly 
added, together with the waist-balance be- 
ing correctly established, and, above all, 
when the length for sitting is superadded 
to top, and the waistbands, being open be- 
hind, do not bind at top, nor the buckle- 
straps work contrarily, it may safely be 
predicted that there is nothing but being 
too narrow all over can prevent right 
length in every position. 



THIE 



if ttt Mttl^l 



vt. -ill 9 -t*' 



P^l^T SECOISTD. 



BREECHES AND GAITERS. 



FIGURE I. 

TO MEASURE FOR BREECHES 
AND GAITERS. 

The n^easures for these garments require 
to be taken with more preciseness than 
those for trousers, particularly the length, 
and size at the knee. The waist and seat 
measures are taken as directed for trou- 
sers, then place the end of the tape as close 
to the fork as possible, and measure down 
to the nearest location of the knee-joint, 
B, the smallest part immediately below the 
knee, C, and continue to D for the re- 
quired length, also the full length of the 
leg-seam. This will serve as a guide to 
adjust the length of the gaiter. To fix 
the loop and the back button, ascertain the 
exact size of the knee, in B E, C F, D G, 
and the calf in K L. These circumfer- 
ences must be taken on the drawers or 
bare knee, and moderately close. When 
drafting, one inch must be added to the 
length in A B C D. 

The Gaiter. — Take the length on the out- 
side from F downward, take the size round 
the bottom and round the foot in the direc- 
tion represented by the dotted marks from 
M, also across the foot, as a guide to reg- 
ulate the size of the vamp, or tongue. 
The size at top will be regulated by the 
breeches, at the part the gaiter has to rest 
upon. 



These customers who wear these particu- 
lar garments are generally fastidious about 
the fit — each having a style of his own ; 
what one may consider perfection, another 
will condemn as devoid of certain elements 
which he deems as an indispensable char- 
acter to be embodied in a stableman's 
breeches and gaiters. 

Among the present race of journeymen 
tailors, breeches making seems a lost art, 
and few men, indeed, have the judgment 
and skill necessary to do justice to the cut- 
ting ; but entire success does not depend 
on either one or the other ; the form of the 
customer's knee must be delineated by the 
cutting. Anatomical form is very capri- 
cious in the assumption of character at this 
part of the leg. The knee-joint of some 
men is very prominent on the inside, while 
in others, the shape is conspicuous by the 
concavity of the same part ; hence, since 
we find differences in the conformation of 
the knee, that which has to cover it must 
also be mutable. 

DIAGRAM II. 

Breeches cutting is allowed to be a very 
difficult branch of the Tailors' Art, one in 
which but few cutters have even an occa- 
sional opportunity to show their skill; and 
I fully believe that practitioners of the old 
school excelled those of the present day in 
the production of this article of clothing ; 
this may be accounted for, from the fact 
of breeches being less woi'n than they were 
thirty or forty years ago, and a few houses. 



wl 



\ 



Tlie Great Pantaloons System. 



23 



such as Slater, of Knutsford, having estab- 
lished a name and celebrity as breeches 
makers, which, in our days, is all that is 
necessary to secure a monopoly of trade, 
while many a modest genius is left strug- 
gling for bare existence in the cold shade 
of neglect, and his merits unrecognized 
and unrewarded ; it not unfrcquently hap- 
pens in our trade, many a shallow and 
mediocre-minded pretender, basks in the 
beams of his own impertinence, and pros- 
pers on the credulity of those who will be 
led by a bumptious pattern card, and may 
be clothed at the expense of his friends. 

The fundamental principles of trouser 
and breeches cutting arc very dissimilar ; 
and the supposed difficulties attending the 
fitting of breeches arise more immediately 
from their being formed in their principal 
character, bearing too close a similitude to 
trousers — a mere distinction, without a dif- 
ference ; the latter having a greater longi- 
tude in the legs, admit greater freedom to 
the actions of the body and limbs, while 
the breeches are shorter, as well as being 
confined at the knee ; additional provision 
for the movement of the body, and the va- 
ried postures, which, at times, the body 
assumes, must be provided for by increased 
angles. 

As it may interest some of our readers, 
a representation of the principal bones of 
the leg is given on Figure 1, the one 
marked W is the ihigh bone, called by an- 
atomists Femur, and the Tibia, marked 0, 
running parallel with the Tibia, is a lesser 
bone called Fibula, and is situated on the 
outside of the leg. Bell states that, " The 
Fibula is a support to the Tibia 0, in its 
vai-ious accidents ; it gives a broader origin 
to the muscles, and it is the chief defense 
to the ankle joint. It has no motion upon 
the Til ia ; it is united with the Tibia by a 
sort of flat cartilagineous surface upon 
either bone ; it is merely laid upon the 
Tibia, not sunk unto it. It is tied by a 
close capsule ; it has no particular liga- 
ment for itself; but it is strengthened by 



the external lateral ligament of the knee." 

The same author states : " The knee- 
joint is one of the most superficial joints, 
and one of the weakest so far as relates to 
the bones, for the flat condyles of the 
thigh-bone are merely laid on the flat head 
of the Tibia. This is not a hinge joint 
like the ankle, secured between two points 
of bone. We do not find the means of 
strength in its bones, but in the number, 
size, and disposition of the great ligaments 
with which its bones are joined ; by virtue 
of these ligaments it is the strongest joint 
of the human body, the most oppressed by 
loads, the most exercised in continual mo- 
tion, yet less frequently displaced than 
any other. But this complication of liga- 
ments, which gives it mechanical strength, 
is the very cause of its constitutional weak- 
ness, makes it very delicate, and very lia- 
ble to disease." 

An examination of the position of the 
principal bones, and the shape they may 
assume would prove both interesting and in- 
structive to practical tailors. Such a study 
will teach us to know where muscular de- 
velopment will demand a change in the 
form of the garment ; the thigh may in- 
crease or decrease in circumference, yet 
the projections in B and N will remain the 
same, and will require the same angle in 
the garment, irrespective of any changes 
that may take place in the intermediate 
space; the measure and observation will 
enable us to detect a difl"erencc in the form 
of the leg, without a knowledge of the sci- 
ence of myology. The description and 
doctrine of the muscles and matured judg- 
ment will enable us to adapt the shape of 
the garment to that of Nature. 

It may interest tailors to know that one 
of the principal Flexors of the leg is called 
the Sartorius or the Tailors' Muscle, and 
is so named from its bending the knees, 
and drawing the legs across. It is situ- 
ated in front of the thigh, and extends ob- 
liquely across the whole Icngtli of the 



24 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



thigh, crossing it like a garter, about two 
inches in breadth. 



ON TROUSER CUTTING. 

The trade is literally inundated with sys- 
tems or methods for producing trousers, 
and it is amusing to witness the assurance 
and complaisance of the itinerant teach- 
ers of the art, who presume to be in pos- 
session of the only true and correct sys- 
tem ; and although the difference is gen- 
erally without distinction, with singular 
credulity, the promulgators, and many of 
those who practice these varied systems, 
presume to know the excellence of the one 
over all others, and can tell us the short- 
coming of one man's ideaSj and the sublim- 
ity of their own. I remember years ago 
in Manchester being told by a profound 
theorist that the real secret of trousers 
cutting was only known to himself, and 
was revealed to him at a certain hour on a 
given day — probably All Fool's Day. Im- 
mediately this closet practitioner put his 
wild whims into real test, he found their 
fallacy. Not many months ago a bucolic 
speculatist offered for the sum of six guin- 
eas, to show me certain valuable discov- 
eries he had made in connection with trou- 
ser cutting, adding, with wretched profan- 
ity, that the secret had flashed on his mind 
when on his knees engaged in prayer, and 
probably under some other influence than 
that of "spiritualism." He had scarcely 
awoke from his reveries, and cut three 
pairs of trousers for gentlemen in the trade, 
and a pair for a gentleman who intrusted 
him with an order, when the folly of his 
chimera vanished like the fabric of a base- 
less vision, leaving however a wreck in the 
dead hole. 

With so many systems, practitioners, and 
professors of this branch of our trade, the 
impartial and critical observer cannot fail 
to notice how few really good-fitting trou- 
sers we see worn in the streets and our 



fashionable promenades. The defects are 
numerous and the same in kind, hence 
must be produced by the same cause; and 
the better dressed the wearer is, the more 
certain are certain defects in the fit to be 
observable. In support of this assertion I 
would advise my readers to take a glance 
at the '■'■cartes dc visite," of celebrities — 
emperors, kings, princes, dukes, lords, &c., 
and as the lens neither flatters nor con- 
ceals, but reproduces with fidelity that 
which comes within their focus, if the fea- 
tures are correctly portrayed, then must 
also be the garments. If in a standing at- 
titude the deep tones show many an unsight- 
ly wrinkle, and the rebellious aspect of the 
different parts and the slovenly indiffer- 
ence of the wearer; and if in a sitting pos- 
ture, the bottom of the trousers keep 
watch, as it were, midway between knee 
and ankle, these galling and unmistakable 
evidences demonstrate that tailoring, as 
an art has not made the desired progress, 
and that we have yet much to learn, and 
that a system has yet to be introduced 
wherein some of the defects now extant, if 
not entirely removed, may, to some ex- 
tent, be modified and rendered less objec- 
tionable. 

In the construction of the system I am 
about to illustrate, an attempt is. being 
made to introduce an antidote for some of 
the most glaring and troublesome defects 
in the fit and comfort of a pair of trousers, 
at the same time to be simple and practi- 
cable. In the first place the student will 
please draw out the system and study well 
the peculiarities of the method, that ho 
may be better able to follow the critical 
remarks I purpose offering on the peculiar 
advantages of the system. 

DIAGRAM 1. 

Draw the line A, B, or let said line 
represent the edge of the material ; mark 
up from B to D the length of the leg-seam 
(32), and at A the whole length taken at 
side (42) ; square with A B ; mark out to 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



25 



F half (9), and to E two-thirds of seat 
measure (12); from the line A B to G, one 
inch more than half the seat measure (10), 
and draw the line F G F (If to 2^ 
inches), according to the size of the trou- 
sers and the closeness of the thighs togeth- 
er, and run the fork as represented ; G H, 
half the vraist measure, more or less, as 
may be found desirable; B C, six to seven 
and a half inches, or one inch more than 
a third of the whole width at bottom. 
Draw a straight line from E to C and hol- 
low the seam opposite the knee about half 
an inch. Make the waist line and top 
square with the front line E G, and lower 
the front from the angle at G three-fourths 
of an inch round the hip from II to D; 
the seam in B D, may be left straight or 
hollowed to the extent of an inch. The 
peculiarity of the system consists in the 
side-seam at bottom resting on the line at 
B, and the front in G being one inch fur- 
ther in from the line A B than the sta- 
tion F. The objects sought to be attained 
are : First, to give greater angle to the 
legs in E B; secondly, to contract the 
front length in E G, and reduce the angu- 
lar distance E H, giving greater length on 
the hip in D, H. When so formed the 
trousers will rest firmer on the hips and 
keep closer to the abdomen. 

DIAGRAM 2. 

Lay the top side down in any convenient 
position, add half an inch spring at A, and 
make up the width at B, draw the seat line 
E, by intersecting the front at D, which 
is one-third of the seat up from the fork 
line, adding a spring from D to E ; allow 
from to C one-eighth of the seat meas- 
ure (2J) and hollow the seam sharply from 
D to C ; from the width at B mark in to- 
ward A from half to one inch, draw a 
straight line from 0, and from the leg-seam 
touching the same line at the knee, make a 
station at F, and find the length of the 
side-seam, by a curve from the top side, and 
regulate the width at H by the waist meas- 
ure ; the shape of the leg-seam is left com- 



paratively stationary and the width at knee 
regulated at the side-seam. 

The length of the seat in C E must be 
governed by the angular distance C H ; 
the more spring given at the hip, the long- 
er must the seam be in E, 0, and vice 
versa. As a guide take point at half the 
distance between E and F of the top side, 
and find the hight at E by a segment of 
a circle from the top side-seam. Dispro- 
portion and the application shall be treated 
in a subsequent article, also the causes of 
certain defects in the fit and the probable 
remedy suggested, and illustrated by fig- 
ures and diagrams. 

When we sit down, the pressure is first 
felt at the knees, seat, and top of the 
front, ABC (Fig. 1). If we unbutton 
the fly, we have immediate ease at all the 
parts ; if we hollow the seat, we contract 
the angle A B D (Dia. 2). The angle A 
B is required for the seat and knee, and 
B D for the seat and stomach ; detract 
from either, and the three parts become 
contracted. The hollow seat contracts the 
length in two ways — from the seat to the 
knee on the outside, and also on the inside, 
A B (Fig. 2), and A B, A S, and B D 
(Dia. 2). The more angle we can give in 
A B, A S T, and B D (Dia. 2), the more 
certain we are of avoiding bulging at the 
knee, and the rising up from the bottom 
when sitting ; the more also we hollow the 
seam in B, the less room, or angle we al- 
low for sitting, and every particle that is 
added in A B D (Dia. 2), affords a provi- 
sion for sitting or striding. The seat an- 
gle C 0, is quite as long as that in 1 2, 
while an increased length is given in A B ; 
T U also retaining the original proportion, 
what is added in 2 C being taken ofi" at 0. 
I may here state that the roulette line from 
T through the fork to U, represent the 
"reversed" measure referred to in E. G's 
letter ; a measure so taken is very useful, 
indicating as it does, the size of the figure 
in that particular direction, and will be 
found to be very mutable in its bearing to 



26 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



the circumference of the seat, also in 
drafting to regulate the spring at the hip 
T, and the size at fork. Those various 
advantages are the characteristics that I 
have endeavored to embody in the forward 
front system, and the experience of many 
cutters has fully borne out the accuracy 
of the views, and the adaptability of the 
plan to carry them into effect in practice ; 
and although fully eleven years have 
elapsed since the system was first pub- 
lished, and the ideas promulgated, no one 
has been bold enough to call their accu- 
racy into question, or to introduce a more 
plausible means for obviating some of the 
many defects generally observable in the 
fit of trousers. Yet I by no means wish it 
to be supposed that I introduce this sys- 
tem as possessing all the elements of per- 
fection, or, that the system will at all times 
and for all sizes and form of men produce 
a perfect fitting garment. I claim only, 
for the method, the character of being dif- 
ferent from all other systems ; whether 
such diversity is in the right direction I 
will leave for others to confirm or confute. 
But I may add that of the many systems 
I know, none will allow of the same amount 
of freedom for such postures as represented 
by Figure 1 and 2, and which are very 
efi'ective for testing the merits of the dif- 
ferent experiments, as they comprise the 
sitting, walking, running, and riding posi- 
tions. For sitting we require certain an- 
gles in A B and A C, and the front length 
in E C as short as possible, so as to avoid 
a superfluity of material about the front, 
and preserve a harmony of lengths be- 
tween the front in E C, and the hind-part 
in E D, which lengths virtually constitute 
the true balance of the cutters adopting 
such plans as they may consider to pos- 
sess all the desired requirements. I claim 
the same privilege, and will now give my 
reasons for entertaining the opinion that 
the system — "forward front" — is well 
adapted to meet the various requirements 
of the figure. In the first place it must be 
admitted that it is seldom we see a pair of 



trousers fit to our entire satisfaction, and 
entirely free from defects. They may 
hang free enough, and fit pretty clean at 
the fork, but yet the fit of the hind-part 
be intolerable, full of folds and wrinkles, 
or some diagonal draggings in different di- 
rections ; or, may be the fit, comfort, and 
fall, of the garment be a near approach to 
perfection, so long as the wearer stood like 
a statue, but he could neither sit down nor 
stride them ; if he assumed the former pos- 
ture, they would creep up to his knee, and 
striding more than a few inches would not 
be possible from pressure at the knee and 
seat, A B, Fig. 1. 

Defects, however, cannot exist without 
a cause, and since they are numerous, we 
need not argue upon supposition, but grap- 
ple with them as presented to us, and try to 
discover how far a remedy is actually prac- 
ticable. Well, then, here is a pair of trou- 
sers fitting admirably when the wearer is 
standing, but he no sooner sits down than 
they are creeping up from the bottom, as 
expressed by a friend of mine, " to an 
alarming extent." First, let the cause, if 
possible, be discovered, then a prevent- 
ative may suggest itself. The figure, when 
seated, forms nearly two right angles, the 
lejf and thigh, and the thicrh and waist, 
and the curvature of the knee at B, and 
the seat at A (Fig. 1) will require a much 
greater length than when standing, so also 
will the diagonal direction, A C, become 
extended. The principal difficulty which 
we encounter is to make the necessary pro- 
visions, without at the same time creating 
other defects still more objectionable ; 
since no provision can be made to the knee 
at that part of the trousers, the position of 
the legs and the form of the garment in 
the body must be so ai-ranged as to afford 
the necessary angles. The general defects 
which I have endeavored to obviate when 
arranging this are — rising from the bottom 
when seated, bulging at the knee, at the 
same time avoiding too long a seat. I at- 
tribute the immediate cause of trousers 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



27 



creeping up from the bottom -when sitting, 
to the leg-seam being too straight, not in 
the formation of the seams, but too much 
being taken oft' the side-seam from the fork 
downward. 

As from B to C, Dia. I, A B D be- 
ing at a right angle, and the front angle 
E F being also at a right angle with A D, 
it must follow that trousers formed with 
the side-seam at bottom resting at B must 
afi'ord much greater latitude for the posi- 
tions and motions of the legs than if 
formed as shown by station C ; and in pro- 
portion as the angular distance D B C and 
G is contracted, the more limited becomes 
the provision for sitting or striding, and 
the more sure are the trousers to raise 
from the foot and bulge at the knee. These 
defects, however, may not be traceable to 
the formation of the foreside, as the form 
given to the hind-part may tend to destroy 
the accuracy or tend to abrogate existent 
defects in the formation of the top side. If 
the seat-angle is too short, or the seat-seam 
too much hollowed, we are sure to feel the 
same defects in the fit as when the leers 
are made too close or too much taken oft" 
from B to 0, Dia. I. 

Experienced cutters generally have 
formed an attachment in favor of some rule 
or other, or, may be, no rule at all, but 
simply a block [called pattern in this coun- 
try] from which they make at times some 
very problematic deviations; and if they 
can, by such process, produce a creditable 
garment, they very naturally conclude 
that their particular method is superior to 
all others, and that it would be folly for 
them to acquire a knowledge of a more 
scientific method ; and since their intuitive 
instinct enables such cutters to apply their 
primitive methods to a successful issue, I 
see no practical reason why they should 
not adhere to a plan, the merit of which 
they understand, and their experience will 
enable them to correct defects. But the 
secret of their success cannot be attributa- 
ble to the plan they adopt, since it is 



neither based on a well-arranged system, 
nor yet a scientifically-concocted formula, 
but simply on the rule of chance, fortified 
by experience ; and hence the fact, so oft- 
en admitted by men even of well-known 
reputation, that they are always at a loss 
to fit customers of an unusual form or de- 
velopment, which affords the best means of 
testing the abilities and fitness of a cutter 
to discharge the duties of his profession ; 
and when I hear these admissions, I can 
arrive at no other conclusion than that 
those cutters possess only a superficial con- 
ception of the true and beautiful art of 
cutting, and the applicability of mathemat- 
ics to produce garments to suit the varied 
conformation. Cutters generally are too 
exclusive in their ideas. They often pre- 
sume to be the sole possessors of what they 
choose to term " the only true principles 
of cutting." A more communicative heart 
and generous feeling, and a desire for a 
more equitable investigation into the merit 
of "other men's stuff"," would be the means 
of dispei'sing from their minds such vague 
and delusive notions. I have no objection 
to other trouser. I purpose on some fu- 
ture occasion to illustrate this proposition 
by other figures and diagrams, and intro- 
duce an original system based on the cen- 
tral line principle. In the meantime I 
cordially invite the critical members of the 
profession to investigate and criticise the 
"Forward Front System." In my next 
article I will treat the Corpulent Figure, 
and also supply the information desired by 
E. G. 

It is said that a child can ask a question 
the philosopher cannot answer. The force 
of this aphorism holds good when applied 
to the technicalities of our profession ; oft- 
en the most simple question gives rise to 
very animated controversies which have 
acted as an incentive to elicit a variety of 
conflicting and antagonistic theories. The 
chemist and political economist can show 
by induction the truth of their proposi- 
tions, and by the cogency of their reasons 



.28 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



have promulgated principles, and placed 
their integral validity on immutable bases ; 
and bj the accumulative weight of over- 
whelming testimonies, established thesis 
consonant to the laws of nature and sci- 
ence, the wisdom of future ages may elab- 
orate upon them, but never controvert. 

The science of cutting is in a very dif- 
ferent state, many of the wildest and im- 
practicable chimeras have their votaries ; 
and it is a singular fact that there is not 
extant in the trade a single system, ele- 
ment, or principle, in the whole process of 
tailoring, on which half a dozen practition- 
ers can agree. It not unfrequently hap- 
pens that where a majority acquiesce in a 
certain proposition, the more certain is 
practice to demonstrate the fallacy, or im- 
practicability of the theory ; and probably 
there is no branch of science or industry 
where theory and practice are so often in 
antagonism, the most carefully studied 
problem failing to meet the requirements 
of the body and minds of men. The most 
profound anthropomatist and expert geom- 
etrician are as liable to err as the most 
simple rustic, who scarcely knows a math- 
ematical system of any kind, his only 
guide being a few notches on a strip of 
paper ; and even in these days there are 
cutters of the old type, who still cling to 
the good old method, and with excellent 
results. Cutting is now more of a science 
than it was thirty years ago, or rather sci- 
entific cutting is now more general than it 
was then ; but I am not aware (as a branch 
of the fine arts) that cutting has made any 
particular progress during the last quarter 
of a century, neither can I admit that "fit- 
ting " has been rendered a greater certain- 
ty now than in those days when the rule of 
Thumb was paramount. Many will doubt- 
less consider these expressions as hyper- 
bolical and ambiguous ; yet they are not 
so, and the anomaly may be accounted for 
by modern cutters depending more on the 
ultimate of systems than on their own ma- 
tured judgments, taking as it were a men- 



tal photograph of the whole form, adopting 
the garment to the external aspect of the 
intended wearer, and by the aid of a few 
simple measures, regulate the lengths and 
width agreeable to the wishes of the cus- 
tomers, the measures being applied in 
drafting more on the principle of direct 
application of ascertained quantities than 
by trusting to subdivision of a given meas- 
ure to fix any particular part of the gar- 
ment. 

It appears to me very singular that the 
principle of direct measurements has never 
to my knowledge been applied to produce 
trousers ; I can see no valid reason why 
trigonometry should not be made as appli- 
cable to produce trousers as they are to 
coats. 

The only extra measure that I have 
hitherto advised to be taken is generally 
known by the term " reserved." The man- 
ner in which the measure is taken is as 
follows : — 

Place the end of the tape on the hip at 
half the waist measure from the front, and 
passing down the seat, through the fork, 
and then to the starting point. When 
measuring large-sized or corpulent per- 
sons, keep the end stationary at the hip, 
pass it through the fork and continue up 
the front to ascertain the bight. 

A correspondent whose letter has ap- 
peared in The Cutter, desired to know the 
use in drafting, made of a measure so ta- 
ken. All practical cutters who have 
studied the diversities of shapes to be met 
with in daily practice, are well aware 
that circumference of the seat, hip, or 
waist, will not at all times indicate the de- 
sired and necessary shape to meet capri- 
cious developments of the body ; one man 
is very flat and broad, another very round, 
while a third may be flat in front and 
prominent on the seat ; to these forms must 
also be added position, such as very erect 
or stooping ; some men are very tieep in 



Uia. 1. 




Dla. 2. 




The Great Pantaloons System. 



29 



the body and short in the legs, others 
again the very antipodes of this — all legs 
and no body. I have met with customers 
of the same hight, say 5ft 6in., differing to 
the extent of two inches in the length of 
the leg. The "reversed" measure will 
exhibit similar eccentricities ^nd diverg- 
ence from what we may deem as a good 
average form, the dissimilarity in the bear- 
ing of this measure to the others may be 
caused by depth of body or prominence of 
the seat — extra development of the Glu- 
tceus maximus. Practically considered we 
must suppose that the exact depth of the 
body from the hollow immediately above 
the hip bone {Os ilium) to the fork line C 
D B, Dia. 1, to have been accurately as- 
certained and fixed, and the trouser at top 
formed as the size of waist may require. 
Now apply the reversed measure by plac- 
ing the end of the tape at 0, run it down 
to the fork point of the foreside, then place 
such quantity on the tape at B of the hind- 
part, and extend the tape to the top of the 
side-seam at C, with ten inches of a raise 
in D 0. The reversed measure may be 
given as 32 inches for a proportionate fig- 
ure whose seat measure is 36 inches, and 
the waist 30 inches. The greatest dispro- 
portion that I have noticed is four inches 
— from 30 to 34 inches, when very small 
(30), the form measured is sure to be quite 
flat about the abdomen and seat, and may 
be projecting in front of waist. For this 
make, the particular system used by the 
cutter may produce the trouser in the di- 
rection of the reversed measure too large ; 
for the form just mentioned the safest de- 
viation is to advance the front at A, taking 
off the same quantity at (Dia. 1), and 
reduce the seat angle in B C, keeping the 
fork points stationary. 

When the reversed measure is large the 
increment is caused by accumulation of 
fatness at the fork, and an unusual devel- 
opment of the seat ; this conformation re- 
quires larger fork, and a greater seat an- 
gle or length ; this must be provided by 



allowing more width to the hind-part at B, 
and adding more spring in C, as the 
measure may indicate, taking off the same 
quantity at E, and raising the seat in A 
E to the same extent. Some cutters pre- 
fer leaving the seam seat stationary, and 
reduce the width in E 0, by taking out a 
Vee at the top ; this method, however, will 
not answer the requirement of the figure 
under notice ; owing to the roundness of 
the seat we must have more length at G, 
and this can only be obtained by changing 
the shape, as illustrated by dotted marks 
DEC, while the Vees are only applicable 
to those forms which fall suddenly in at 
the waist, and whose trousers have a ten- 
dency to be loose at the top edge and to 
slip over the hips. 

Diagram 2 will demonstrate my mean- 
ing more clearly, since the figure demands 
greater length in B C. If we cut the un- 
derside in F G and insert a piece in, to 
the desired extent, we immediately change 
the shape of the hind-part to that shown 
by dotted marks C D F G. Adding to the 
hight, as shown in A E, would be of no 
avail, since no change was made in the an- 
gle A B, it must follow that what was 
added to the top at E would only result in 
sending the top so much higher on the 
back. 

Practitioners differ as to the degree of 
hight to allow the seat to raise above the 
front, in A E (Dia. 1) ; the point, howev- 
er, is not to be regulated by the caprices 
of the cutter, because the hight is influ- 
enced by the position of the side-seam. 
The more or less spring we allow in C, 
the hight in A E immediately becomes af- 
fected. Changing the one, leaving the 
other stationary, is an incongruity, and a 
violation of natural laws that are self-evi- 
dent and immutable. 

As a guide for the hight of seat, make 
angle F a center, and find the top by a 
sweep from C, this length will be found 
quite short enough ; the more spring that 



30 



The Great Fantaloons System. 



is given in C advance your center from 
F toward the point; by tliis means the seat 
length will increase in ratio to the angle 
B C, and when the trousers are on, the 
point D (Dia. 2) will fall to A and C, 
drop to E, and the additional length will 
form a receptacle for the rotundity of the 
seat, and hence, avoid certain defects in 
the fit. 

Probably some of my readers will have 
heard complaints from their customers 
feeling their trousers pressing too much on 
the stomach; yet, the whole circumference 
being greater than necessary, this annoy- 
ance is principally caused by the brace 
buttons being set too near the front, this 
can be easily seen by loosing the braces, 
and letting the trousers fall to their natu- 
ral position. The two front brace buttons 
ought not to be nearer together than half 
the waist measure, and those behind about 
one-third of the waist asunder. 

Length of seat, and the quantity the 
back-part is to raise above the point when 
the garment is on, or held in front of us, 
holding them by the sides, are not synony- 
mous terms ; the former is governed by the 
shape, or requirements of the figure, while 
the latter is entirely a matter of taste. 

The system illustrated by this diagram 
is founded on a line supposed to be drawn 
on the figure from the front to the inside 
of leg, C D being the requisite projection 
to encircle the thigh at top, and carried 
gradually to the bottom leg-seam. First 
draw A B ; make D C from two and three- 
quarters to three and three-quarters inches, 
according to the size of the seat, circum- 
ference of the thigh, the openness between 
the legs, or the degree of ease desired at 
that part. As a guide to the inexperi- 
enced, I may state that D C is made equal 
to one-sixth of seat measure, and D one 
and three-quarters to two inches. Hollow 
the leg-seam, from a straight line drawn 
from C to B, half an inch ; B M six to 



eight inches ; from the front to E, half the 
waist measure (7J) ; D J, half ihe seat- 
measure, or as the cutter may choose, the 
difference being added to or deducted from 
the hind-part — which is formed by mark- 
ing from A to G one-fourth of the waist- 
measure (3J), and angle up to W the same 
(3|). Find the seat by a straight line 
from C to W ; allow one a half inches to 
the at point F, B, N, according to the width 
at bottom, position of the feet, &c. In 
this instance, make B N one and half inches ; 
the width in the leg must regulate the po- 
sition of the seam at L — which, however, 
must not be too hollow at the knee, other- 
wise the trousers will stand away from the 
foot at the bottom — from one to two inches 
is quite sufficient to hollow the seam from 
the straight C N. The form of the side- 
seam in J M will be guided by the posi- 
tion of these two stations. Add from two 
to three inches to the seat-measure, about 
three inches above the line D J ; make the 
top to the size, take a station at half the 
distance between C and D, and find the 
length of the seat at W by a sweej from 
H. This rule can be formed direct on the 
cloth, with equal accuracy, by letting the 
line E M represent the edge of the mate- 
rial employed ; and mark from M to B one 
inch more than one-third of the whole 
width at bottom ; and from the edge of ma- 
terial, at J to D half the seat-measure ; 
then draw a balance line from A to B ; 
square the distance D C by the line so 
drawn, and not by the line E M. All the 
other parts are to be formed as already di- 
rected, for other systems. The basis of 
this system is probably more generally 
known, and extensively practiced than any 
other theory. Systems are continually 
being published by writers who claim the 
authorship of the arrangements, others 
more modest only claim credit for intro- 
ducing certain improvements on the orig- 
inal ; but I am not in a position to state as 
to who can lay claim to priority in intro- 
ducing the front balance line A B, to pro- 



Dio. I. 





The Great Pantaloons System. 



ol 



duce trousers ; but I fancy, if affiliated on 
M. Compaign no great mistake would be 
committed ; yet, in Mr. Oliver's work, 
which is now before me, and dated 1840, 
being the tenth American edition, the same 
method is adopted to produce trousers for 
a stout man. A trifling chang-e in the 
quantities to find a given point is not suffi- 
cient to constitute a new system. If a 
man set himself up as the inventor of a 
particular system, let him show in what 
particular his theory is better than that of 
his predecessor, to add to the number of 
systems without introducing a positive and 
a distinct difference, cannot possibly be of 
any advantage to the science, or tend in 
the remotest degree to edify or instruct 
those who are in search of a wider knowl- 
edge of true principles of cutting, and to 
see a tangible improvement in the art. 

Those who may have seen my " Treatise 
on Trouser Cutting," will recognize this 
system as one of those on Plate VI. in said 
work. About a dozen years since, I caused 
a version of the same system to be pub- 
lished, wherein the position of the leg-seam 
at bottom was brought inside the line at 
B, and the width made up at M; the posi- 
tion of the leg-seam at knee was also 
thrown close to the line A B. These 
changes of positions I found an improve- 
ment, giving more angle to the legs, and 
securing a better hanging and a cleaner 
fitting side-seam when either standing, 
walking, or sitting. 

I know several cutters holding first class 
situations, who have for years cut by this 
system, and are considered very good trou- 
ser cutters ; some adopt a different method 
to the one laid down here. To find the 
under-side, they make B N, 11, C F, IJ, 
and find the seat angle by crossing the 
fore-side 1 J in from A. While holding the 
opinions of those who have practiced the 
system in the highest esteem, I am not an 
admirer of the method, although I have 
cut dozens of trousers by the system, and 



occasionally found them to fit pretty well, 
more particularly the "Peg Top Style," 
where width made up for the extreme close- 
ness of the cut. Defects in the fit of trou- 
sers cut by this system will be noticed in a 
subsequent article. 

According to promise, I will now offer a 
few remarks on the system inserted in 
The Cutter, March 7, which is well known 
and extensively practiced, consequently 
the good and bad qualities of the method 
must be familiar to the thoughtful observ- 
er and intelligent student of the science of 
cutting. 

That the suggestions I am about to offer 
may be thoroughly understood, it becomes 
necessary to reproduce the basis : opinions, 
or principles, founded on mere surmises or 
undefined hypothesis, cannot stand critical 
investigation ; we cannot duly estimate the 
value of a proposition without a pre-knowl- 
edge of the data from which the assertion 
emanates. In proof of this, I will in the 
course of this article show that " A reader 
of The Cutter from the first " has made a 
very random and short-sighted statement 
in his criticism on my advice as to the way 
to form this system direct on the material, 
in the meantime refer to 

DIAGRAM I. 

The line of demarkation is that drawn 
from A to B ; C one-sixth, and D one- 
twelfth of the seat-measure, B G- half the 
width at bottom, angle the seat by marking 
from A to S one-twelfth of the seat-meas- 
ure, C P, half the seat measure, complete 
the garment as directed in The Cutter, 7th 
March. 

Admitted, that trouser produced as here 
directed are well suited for standing, or 



walk 



ing 



on 



'the level" or where the 



strides are short ; but if the wearer walk 
up an incline or up a stair he will feel a 
pressure at the seat, knee, and front of 
thigh ; after being worn for a few days 
they will be found to bulge very much at 



32 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



the knee ; when seated they ivill rise con- 
siderably from the foot, and there will be 
found an accumulation of cloth about the 
fork or abdomen, the side-seam also much 
too long opposite the foi-k. These are the 
most prominent defects in the fit of the 
trouser cut in this particular style ; there 
are also defects equally objectionable in 
the fit or hang of the hind-part, such as 
drawing in diagonal creases from the knee 
toward the fork point, and what are called 
" horse-shoe folds " just under the knee. 
A remedy for the latter defect has often 
been asked for, but the answers are gener- 
ally very vague and indefinite. The anti- 
dote most commonly prescribed is to con- 
tract the seat angle at the hip, stretch up 
the leg-seam of the hind-part between D 
and F (Dia. 1), and hollow the seat-seam 
from S down to the point D. Those who 
believe in the efiicacy of such a process for 
curing the defects enumerated, cannot have 
given the cause of the defects any serious 
amount of study, otherwise they would 
pause before doing it, for the supposed 
remedy will most undoubtedly make the 
defects still more conspicuous, as well as 
creating other defects, and aggravating 
the bulging at the knees. In a former ar- 
tide I stated that trouser cut by this sys- 
tem or any other system which produces 
the same kind or character of cut, does not 
possess those essentialities which constitute 
a well-cut garment or qualities absolutely 
necessary to provide for the varied move- 
ments of the figure. As the subject is one 
of vital importance, and that my meaning 
may not be misapplied and perverted, let 
us suppose a pair of trouser having been 
cut exactly as indicated by Dia. 1, and 
carefully put together, yet when on, are 
very defective in the fit, under-side hang- 
ing badly, pressing at the seat, front of 
thigh, bulging at the knee, and ride up 
very much from the foot when sitting. If 
a pair of trouser wherein these defects are 
known to exist be worn for only a few 
days, they will be found strained and 
twisted in all directions, more particularly 



at the knee and leg- seam. The immediate 
causes of these defects are too much front, 
too little seat-room, and the garment being 
formed too close in the legs as represented 
by dotted marks from fork downward; vir- 
tually, too little fork or projection from 
the balance line A B to the point D. Pre- 
suming that the character of the cut is 
fully understood, and the defects known to 
exist, the efiectual remedy is to reduce 
the width in front by marking from C to 
E, say one inch ; square up to S, and form 
the fork as shown by dotted marks ; let 
out the seat to same extent in D W, par- 
ticularly in the most prominent part, N. 
Although the distance E is increased by 
one inch, the fork, or the space which is to 
contain the figure, remains the same, the 
superfluous material being thrown from the 
front ; on the seat the fork point will 
pass further under the body and hence al- 
low more freedom for sitting and striding ; 
but if this deviation is carried to any ex- 
tent, there is a danger of side-seam at bot- 
tom being forced too forward on the instep 
— this probable defect must be anticipated 
and preventative applied, by keeping the 
leg marks at F fixed ; and rise that on the 
top side above H on the hind-part in pro- 
portion to the changes made in C E, and 
the top raised to the same extent as shown 
by dotted marks, or the top side lowered 
as may be the most practicable at the time 
the experiment is being made. 

In The Cutter for March 7, when eluci- 
dating this system, Dia. 1, I stated the 
trouser could be formed direct on the ma- 
terial with the same accuracy as if a pat- 
tern were produced. In proof of this fact, 
I will reproduce the directions then given, 
and will take, say, striped material with 
border down the side as represented by the 
shaded marks G M. Mark from G to 
P the length of the leg, mark from G to B 
7 inches, P to C half the seat-measure, then 
draw a line from B through C up to A, 
square the fork line C by the line A B 
(and not by the side line G P) and com- 



Dia. 2. 




The Great Pantaloons System. 



i3 



plete the top side as directed in The Cut- 
ter of said date. 

The advantages of exchanging ideas on 
all subjects in connection with cutting is 
strikingly illustrated by the following ex- 
tract from a correspondent who signs him- 
self "A Reader from the first." He 
states, in reply to my directions for form- 
ing the trouser on the cloth : " I beg to 
Bay, Such is not the case, because the center 
line A B must be the straight way of the 
material. Any bias of this line may cause 
a misfit." 

If the above extract had been submitted 
in the form of an inquiry, I would have 
treated it as such, and would have intro- 
duced another diagram to prove still more 
clearly the correctness of my directions to 
form the system on the material ; but since 
the writer has expressed so decided an 
opinion in direct opposition to my dicta, I 
feel at liberty to take up the challenge, 
and to tell this gentleman that he has ven- 
tured to criticise a principle without mas- 
tering the rudiments of the proposition. 
If " a bias of the line A B may cause a 
misfit," how are we to have a border down 
the side ? This correspondent may have 
been " a reader from the first," but read- 
ing without reflection availeth but little. 

DIAGRAM II. 

We need never hope to grapple success- 
fully with defects in the fit of garments, 
without some defined data to guide us in 
our investigations ; it frequently happens 
that similar defects are produced by dis- 
similar causes, and requiring to be treated 
in a very different manner. What may be 
a remedy for one defect may be futile when 
applied to another, though each present- 
ing similar aspects ; for instance, a hollow 
seat, and close legs, will cause bulging at 
the knees, both extremes contributing to- 
ward the same result ; this idea may be 
better understood by supposing line A B 
to run through the center of the figure, 



from the waist to half way between the 
feet ; if M and N are brought too near the 
line at B, the leg angle becomes too con- 
tracted, and a pressure will be felt from 
the fork to the knee when seated. If the 
seat is too much hollowed at S, the angu- 
lar distance through K to the center of the 
knee becomes too contracted for the re- 
quirements of the figure, the nearer we can 
bring the seat-seam to the center line A 
B, the more certain we are of giving ease 
for striding and sitting ; if the front in D 
L is brought too near the central line, a 
hollow seat becomes a necessity, but not a 
virtue, so as to allow room for the diameter 
of the body. The greater distance C is 
from A the longer becomes the seat in pro- 
portion to that of the front length, or the 
relation of the front balance D E to that 
of the hind part in C F, these must be 
adapted the one to the other ; the further 
the front at D is from A the longer length 
we have in D E when the trouser are on, 
and the nearer the seat-seam at G is 
brought to the center line A B the shorter 
becomes the length in G F, and the more 
sure we are of a clean fitting underside. 

When a system has a tendency to pro- 
duce the side-seam too long, change the 
position of the legs as shown by the dotted 
marks. The same effect may be produced 
by cutting the pattern across the thigh as 
per marks from to P, and taking out a 
piece to nothing at the points. 



CORPULENT FIGURES. 

DIAGRAM 1. 

This illustration will assist in arriving 
at a true knowledge of the principles or 
bases on which most systems are founded ; 
and, indeed, all rules, to be correct in their 
operation, must produce the same result, 
though attained by a different formula. 
And probably these diagrams will serve as 
a key to discover all the supposed difficul- 
ties (which are more ideal than real) in 



34 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



connection with forming the garment ; and 
the fact of many meeting with disappoint- 
ments and annoyances to themselves and 
to their customers, is not tenable as an ar- 
gument that trousers are difficult to pro- 
duce, but will serve as an undoubted proof, 
that the principle adopted must be based 
on wrong hypothesis, or that the judgment 
of the cutter was at fault in not examining 
into the immediate effect of the changes he 
might have made, and the adaptability of 
the system, and the deviations made, to 
the form of the figure which he was cloth- 
ing. Even experience is of no avail, with- 
out observation of the effect desired, when 
deviating, and result produced. By ob- 
servations, we are enabled to detect sem- 
blance, difference, accuracy or inaccuracy, 
and the true bearing of one part to anoth- 
er ; hence, avoid contraries. By compar- 
ison, we can trace facts up to those gen- 
eral principles which govern the whole 
theory, and bring each ingredient to bear 
when and where necessary,. in order to pro- 
duce one harmonious whole. We ought to 
study comparison in two ways — the anat- 
omical and mechanical ; how far our manip- 
ulation of the latter will provide for the 
capricious development of the other, intu- 
itive instinct will enable us to discern the 
great differences in the build of those who 
are continually presenting themselves to 
our view ; and thus, by drawing a compar- 
ison, and computing differences between 
one form and another, we can arrive at that 
data which enables us to determine the 
correct shape of our customer, and the 
amount of deviation to make from a cer- 
tain form of garment, which our experi- 
ence has proved to be well suited for a 
given form of man. As a line of demark- 
ation, let us suppose the line 7 10, Dia. 1, 
to be drawn perpendicularly through the 
body to a station on the floor ; at half the 
distance between the feet, we will find that, 
whatever may be the circumference of the 
body, the legs and feet are not any farther 
apart ; and theory will naturally suggest 
that the trousers oucrht also to be as close 



in the legs for the stout as those for a thin 
figure. Experience, however, has conclu- 
sively demonstrated the fallacy of such a 
proposition ; and although the feet of the 
stout man may not actually be any wider 
apart, but owing to the circumference of 
the limb being greater, and as the trousers 
are of a cylindrical form, it becomes nec- 
essary to give an enlarged width to the 
legs, particularly from the knee upward, 
to meet the demands of the enlai-ged phy- 
sical surface ; and since width in the legs 
are variable and dependent on the will of 
the wearer, a greater angle must he given 
to the legs of the trousers than theoret- 
ically could be considered compatible with 
requirements. If, then, a greater angle 
is indispensible as the body and thighs ex- 
pand, a sub-division of either size must in- 
evitably suffice to produce the garment to 
accord therewith. 

To reduce these surmises to practical 
value, draw the line A B, mark from C to 
0, one-sixth of the seat-meas'ire ; C is 
the stride, and any changes made in the 
position of A and 7 must affect the fork by 
contracting or enlarging the trousers at 
that part — as can be easily proved, by add- 
ing, say an inch, from A to 3, and one and 
a half inches, more or less, from b to 6, 
and the fork formed as 3, 0, and the leg- 
seam in 0, 6, we would find that the stride 
or fork is too small to wrap round the top 
of the thigh ; and on the other hand, if the 
front is drawn back from A to 4, and the 
bottom of the leg-seam further in from B, 
and draw a line from 4 to 5, the fork will 
then be found considerably too large ; 
hence the apparent reasonableness of some 
cutters advocating the necessity for making 
the fork in large sizes, smaller in propor- 
tion to the circumference of the seat than 
for a thin figure ; but the defect in the fit, 
which a less stride will remove, was not 
caused by the dimensions of the person, 
and the necessity for the deviation was 
caused by the position of front, at top A, 
and the bottom of the leg-seam B, being 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



35 



carried beyond their proper equilibrium, 
and this is the source from whence come 
all the supposed diflBculties attending the 
formation of the garment for stout men. 
The fork may be enlarged or diminished 
by changing the position of the seat angle, 
as may be easily seen by drawing a line 
from 1 to B, the distance C will be 
greater, and doubly so, if the bottom of 
the leg-seam is also further from B as 5 ; 
and since the figure indicates (whether in 
a walking or standing position) that the 
feet are not more than three or four inches 
apart, the point B must remain compar- 
atively stationary, regardless of the changes 
that may be desired in the width at that 
part. If we take off from B to 5, and add 
the same quantity to the side-seam at G, 
the angle at G will be greater than re- 
quired ; or, more definitely, the legs of the 
trousers will be much more open than the 
natural position of the legs. The great 
angle which is obtained by the positions of 
points 4 and 5, causing the length on 
the inside 4 5 to be too long for that in G 
II, and the side-seam will also be too hol- 
low ; and, when forced into a straight po- 
sition by the hips and legs, the defect will 
appear in too long a leg-seam, and a su- 
perfluous quantity of material about the 
fork, often observable in big men's trou- 
sers, and they cannot possibly hang 
straight unless the wearer stand in a very 
unnatural position, with his feet eighteen 
or twenty inches apart. 

Such, however, is the influence of one 
part over another, that an error of judg- 
ment at one point may be neutralized by 
an opposite change at some other part of 
the garment. Suppose, for instance, that 
the front is drawn back from A to 4 one 
and a half inches, and the seat angle in- 
creased from 2 to 1 to the same extent 
(IJ); to counteract the ill-effects of these 
changes, the position of the leg-seam must 
be altered by marking from B to 6, say 
two inches ; and thus the defects in the fit, 
which the deviations would undoubtedly 



cause, are greatly modified by the changes 
made in the legs. So, also, if the fi;^ont is 
advanced beyond the line at A, the leg- 
seam must be formed as represented by 0, 
5 ; which, if not connected with the posi- 
tion of the front, would throw too much 
cloth to the fork, were it not for the front 
3, 0, contracting the trousers at that part 
to the same extent as the openness of the 
IcOT enlarged it. The seat line has also 
an immediate influence on the fit of the 
front, the more the latter is advanced or 
drawn back from the station A, the diam- 
eter, or the necessary room for the body, 
is practically contracted or enlarged ; but 
the angle given to the seat may alleviate 
the evil given to the fit by the errors com- 
mitted when forming the front, or make 
the defects still more apparent. If the 
seat angle 2, 0, is correct for the front A 
0, the same cannot possibly suit the fronts 
4 and 3, when the position of the body is 
erect, and the spheroidical protuberance 
of the front requiring the form repre- 
sented by 4, ; and if we follow either the 
laws of nature or science, the part oppo- 
site the convexity must become concave, 
and consequently a re-distribution of mate- 
rial is indispensable, so as to contract the 
garment at that part where nature is found 
less developed. And when the form of 
the front is such as to demand of devi- 
ations, illustrated by the marks 4, 0, anat- 
omical requirements, as well as geomet- 
rical truths, suggest that the seat lengths 
must be contracted, by giving less angle 
in 0, 8, as shown. The practical effect of 
the deviation is to increase the front 
length, and reduce that of the seat. There 
is a class of profound theorists who will 
doubt the correctness and efficacy of this 
proposition. I will not deny them their 
privilege of either retaining their opinions, 
in defiance of the most conclusive argu- 
ment, or to admit their previous error in 
judgment. Between the deviations which 
all cutters allow to be indispensably nec- 
essary to be made in a stout man's coat, 



36 



The Great Pantcdoons System. 



and those which ought to be made ia the 
trousers, there is a positive analogy. For 
the coat, the front is lengthened and the 
back shortened, in relation to each other ; 
while the general mode of forming the 
trousers will produce the exact negative, 
by giving a short front and a long seat. 
So, also, with the full chest and erect con- 
formation, the shoulder of the coat must be 
lengthened ; and between the full and 
prominent chest, and the protruding stom- 
ach, there is also a semblance. No addi- 
tion to the width can possibly provide an 
increased length to the breast ; no more 
can adding to the width of the trousers in 
front provide a greater length for the ro- 
tundity of the figure ; neither will raising 
the front above the horizontal line give the 
desired form. A defective knowledge of 
the true effect produced by certain changes 
is the source from whence come the many 
antagonistic effusions that have emanated 
from those who have written on this im- 
portant garment. We have a variety of 
systems, styled by their promulgators 
" self-varying," and each professing to 
have succeeded in arranging a plan that 
will provide for all different sizes. Size 
and shape, however, are two elements re- 
quiring distinct treatment ; in some figures 
the increment appears pretty evenly dis- 
tributed all round the waist ; others have 
the enlargement in front, and are termed 
" pot-bellied." For the former, the self- 
varying system will produce a suitable 
covering ; but in many cases where assist- 
ance is most needed, the principles often 
vary, to the certain destruction of both the 
elegance in appearance and comfort to the 
wearer, whether the size of the waist is 
extra large, or smaller than proportionate. 
Any such method, without the exercise of 
judgment, is a dangerous expedient ; and 
I am not acquainted with any plan of 
measurement that can render us any pos- 
itive assistance in pointing out the partic- 
ular part of the trousers where deviations 
will prove the most effectual. Observation 
of the form of the body, and the position 



of the legs and feet, will be of more serv- 
ice than any of the cross measures, which, 
however carefully taken, will only show 
that one point is so many inches from an- 
other ; but judgment, founded on a thor- 
ough comprehension of the law of cause 
and effect, must decide whether the dic- 
tates of the measures must be made up by 
length, width, or both combined, so as to 
increase or decrease the size where and 
when necessary. 

The proper position of the legs may be 
determined by drawing the line 1 Y paral- 
lel with the line 7, 10, at a distance apart 
of one-third of the seat-measure, and di- 
viding the width at knee and bottom equal- 
ly on each side of the line. When the legs 
are closer together or wider apart than 
usual, change the position of the center 
line as represented, and form the leg as 
shown by the roulette marks 5 and 6 — the 
same at the knee also. 

FIGURE I. 

Those cutters who are able to take cross 
measures, and to apply them when draft- 
ing, may derive some assistance in arriv- 
ing at the probable requirements of dis- 
proportionate confoi-mations. The two on 
which most dependence can be placed are 
these: First, make a station at A, and 
there place the end of the tape and run it 
down to the seat at G, through the fork 
up to the starting station ; keep the tape 
fixed at A and the fork, and run it up the 
center of the abdomen to the desired bight 
in front. These quantities, taken in con- 
nection with the circumference of the 
waist, hip, and seat, will suflace to show 
that a degree of disproportion exists in 
some part of the body ; but the judgment 
is the safest guide to determine whether 
the changes are required at the fork, top 
of the front, top of the side-seam, or equal- 
ly distributed between each of the three 
parts. The cross measure may also serve 
as a means to lead the mind to form a true 



The Great Pantaloons Systei7i. 



3T 



estimate of the difference between one form 
and another ; or a mental computation may 
be made of the form, by supposing a line 
to be drawn from the osilum through the 
major thigh joint A, C, E. We may then 
form a pretty accurate idea as to whether 
the protuberance is to the front A B, or to 
the back A K, of the line of intersection ; 
the distance from the front to the os pules, 
B C, will also show the projection of the 
stomach. The ojjerative anatomist can 
easily measure those distances, or even a 
tailor could take a superficial survey of a 
nude figure ; but when gentlemen of large 
development are presented to us for meas- 
uring, neither of the stations A, C, E, 
could be fixed with any degree of accuracy ; 
neither, indeed, would any particular man- 
ipulation of his person be consistent with 
decorum. The eye and mind, if only duly 
exercised, will soon be sufficient to direct 
the hand to form a suitable garment for 
the figure, of whatever size or form it may 
be. Rather than condemn the cross meas- 
ures as useless, let us try and discover 
how far their application, in extreme cases, 
will agree with the peculiar style of cut 
which all cutters of experience are aware 
must be produced, so as to afford the nec- 
essary ease for the movements, and the 
various positions which the figure some- 
times assumes ; hang straight, both in front 
and behind, and at the same time make 
the unsightly protuberance of the abdomen 
less conspicuous. Suppose, then, we are 
able exactly to find the lovus of the hip 
bone and the major thigh joint, A and C 
(Fig. 1), and take a measure from C to F 
and B, and also from A to B. To test the 
accuracy of the application of those quan- 
tities when drafting the model, let the sta- 
tion D (Dia. 1) represent C on Fig. 1, and 
mark D, 7, 3, A, and 4, according to 
measurement, forward or backward as the 
measure may suggest ; and so far have we 
the front, in zvidth, agreeing in dimensions 
to the abdominal form of the figure — 
which, however, does not present a plain 
or a flat surface. How, then, is width in 



A D and 3 to provide a greater length in 
C A and 0, 7, which is so necessary to 
cover the increased convexity of the abdo- 
men ? If the projection A, F, B, demand 
width, so also will the rotunda 0, F, B, 
require a proportionate increase in length. 
This, according to the dictates of some few 
finite mortals, who have been lulled into a 
happy state of retirement from any further 
inquiry into the true requirements of this 
peculiar form, with the vain consolation of 
having discovered the panacea by adding 
to the hight above the horizontal line at A 
— this is a fitting sequence to the first error 
of advancing the front beyond the gravi- 
tation, which insures the correct equilib- 
rium of the garment. Adding to the 
hight at A will cause them to go higher up 
on the waist ; but from to F is the part 
where length is most required ; and since 
the front at F is carried so forward with- 
out a proportionate increase in C A, the 
lensrth of the front 3 must be less than 
that of A. If it is admitted that the 
distance D 3 must be enlarged to cover the 
extension in that direction, according to 
the dictates of the measures, is it not rea- 
sonable to conclude that the angle H will 
enlarge in ratio to the increased convexity 
of the stomach, particularly as the distance 
in each direction is supposed to have been 
ascertained by superficial admeasure:nent ? 
Adducing any arguments in support of so 
evident a fact would be an insult to sci- 
ence, and to those cutters who are able to 
comprehend truths, and to profit by their 
tuition. 

Suffice, then, to say, that when the form 
of front is such as to require a greater 
length in F 0, the front at A must be 
raised above the horizontal line; made less 
forward also at A — the same quantity be- 
ing added to the side-seam — and the fore- 
side formed as illustrated by 4, H, 0. 
When the trousers are on, the side H will 
fall to 9, and the position 4 to that of A ; 
and hence a proper receptacle is formed 
for the corpulency of the figure. As is 



38 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



truly remarked, by a recent enthusiastic 
propounder of fanciful theories, " That nat- 
ure is inexorable, and that a convexed 
form must have a convexed covering." 
And the same writer states that a hollow 
seat is infinitely better than a round one, 
for the former will let the fork free. How 
are these two assertions to be reconciled ? 
If we examine the figure on the principle 
of superficial anatomy, we can discover but 
little difi"erence between the convexity of 
the seat and that of the abdomen ; indeed 
it often happens that the development of 
the glutas maximus muscles are often more 
acute than those of the abdomen ; and if 
nature is inexorable in her demand for a 
convexed covering for one part (the front), 
why not demand the same kind or form of 
covering for all other parts where there is 
an analogy in the convexity ? The laws 
of nature, however, are not so very com- 
promising. Nature must be followed not 
exclusively laterally, but also collaterally ; 
and if nature were more rationally viewed, 
and her requirements more consistently 
provided for, the incongruities of the vari- 
ous formulas would become more apparent. 
The position peculiar to the corpulent fig- 
ure is erect, or backward. For such posi- 
tions of the human form, it requires a 
greater length in the front surface B 
(Fig. 1) ; and as the degree of erectness 
increases the front length, that of the seat 
is proportionably contracted ; but as stout 
men generally desire more ease than oth- 
ers, the seat angle must not be altered 
from that fixed by the system as laid down, 
and care must be taken not to hollow the 
seam at F ; and although we may at times 
find it improving the fit of the hind part, 
by so doing we must not take it as an ar- 
gument ill support of a hollow seat-seam, 
to be better adapted to the stout figure 
than a straight or a round one. The 
creases which the hollowing will tend to 
remove, ought not to have existed in the 
trousers ; and consequently, the hollowing 
is only necessary to counteract the ill ef- 
fect of indiscreet and capricious changes 



made at some other part of the garment. 
For instance, the more forward we make 
the front, the more must the seat be hol- 
lowed, or vice versa, so as to preserve the 
diameter, or the proper stride. The par- 
ticular shape given to the seam is not of 
such vital importance as the relative dis- 
tance or position of the seam to the other 
points. Those cutters who allow the larg- 
est part of the disproportion in the size of 
the waist, on the front, will find it neces- 
sary to make the seat very hollow. No 
provision is allowed to the wearer, either 
for striding or sitting ; when he assumes 
the latter position, the seat becomes ex- 
panded in width, the legs are wider apart, 
also the length from the seat to the knee, 
on the inside, is greater than when stand- 
ing. 

DIAGRAM 11. 

The bees gather their honey from more 
than one fragrant flower ; so can we de- 
duce truths from a variety of illustrations ; 
and if Dia. 1 enabled us to arrive at cer- 
tain conclusions, from ideal application of 
admeasurement, so also will the square, 
when applied as represented by the double 
lines on Fig. 1 and Dia. 2, with one leg 
placed under the body, the other resting 
on the prominent part of the stomach; 
viz., that the front of the stout man ex- 
tends much farther from the line of inter- 
section A E (Fig. 1) than in the thin or 
flat person. If we take it for granted that 
C is opposite the center, or where the scams 
meet under the body, and in proportion to 
the projection of the front, from C to angle 
H increase or decrease when the front is 
flat. Dia. 2 carries out the same idea, if 
we will suppose C B to be large enough to 
reach to the proper or given station under 
the body ; and B C in the smaller sizes be- 
ing three to four inches ; should the front 
enlarge, so as to cause the square to ad- 
vance from position A C, to that of E 0, 
the distance B must also be larger ac- 
cordingly. If the 15 inches waist re- 
quires 4 inches from C to B, it is quite 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



39 



evident that the same quantity will not an- 
swer for a larger waisted person. The 
fork when formed in A D, when turned 
over so as to form a straight line in A M, 
the point D will reach to B ; but if this 
front is formed in E D, the prominence of 
it will not admit of the point D to pass un- 
der the abdomen, owing also to E D being 
too short to meet the enlarged surface 
B (Fig. 1). If the front is advanced from 
A to E, and the fork point D kept station- 
ary, the trousers will be unbearably close 
in the fork, and the hind-part would fit 
badly, a multitude of folds or creases of a 
star-like character forming right under the 
seat ; and the general remedy is to hollow 
the seam (see marks D, Dia. G) ; and hence 
arises the belief that stout men require 
their trousers more hollowed at that part. 
But the apparent necessity for hollowing 
the seat-seam must not be taken as a 
virtue, for a defect in the formation of the 
foreside rendered hollowing a necessity, 
and not that the stout person presented 
any peculiarity of form demanding such a 
shaped closing. Moreover, the only effect 
produced by the deviations, is changing 
the position of the seams which are more 
forced forward, or literally, hollowing the 
seat only enlarges the diameter, in C D 
(Dia. 6), which was made too contracted, 
by the front being carried too much for- 
ward for the fork point. When these de- 
fects are observable, the most correct and 
effectual remedy is to reduce the width of 
the foreside from the fork point through 
the top, making up the width by letting 
out the seat-seam ; and if practicable, al- 
low more spring to the fork point of the 
hind-part from the knee upward. Now 
comes the crisis ! First, does a large- 
waisted figure require a larger fork in A, 
C, (Dia. 1) ? Second, is it correct in 
principle to leave C stationary, and to 
advance the front to 3 or 7? To the first, 
I will answer, Yes ; to the second. No. If 
we add to the front in A E, add also to 
the fork point D F (Dia. 2), so that the 
projection E F is sufficiently large to en- 



circle the bottom of the abdomen without 
dragging the hind-part to meet it. 

Theorists generally, when discussing this 
knotty point, instance a given size ; viz., 
18 hip, and 15 waist, adding (supposing 
the waist were to increase three inches ; 
that is, 18 waist, and 18 hip, or an increase 
of six inches in the whole circumference, 
and advising a portion of increment to be 
added to the front) the remainder to the 
hip and behind. Theoretically, such a 
proposition may appear plausible ; but in 
the first place, the supposition is incon- 
sistent. Let me ask. Is it possible for any 
human being to increase six inches in the 
circumference of the waist, without any 
observable difference in the size at hip ? I 
have met with peculiarly formed men, but 
such a prodigy as this I have yet to find ; 
and I will add, that such a change in the 
18 size is as impossible in nature as the 
deviations proposed are erroneous in prin- 
ciple. 

DIAGRAM III 

Is only another method of illustrating 
the idea embodied in Dia. 2 ; viz., A, B, 
C, is the form of front for a person whose 
measures are proportionate one to another ; 
E D, the corpulent figure, whose waist 
may be the same size, or larger than the 
seat measure ; while the roulette front F D 
must never be adopted, being wrong in 
theory, and dangerous in practice ; but 
nevertheless, it is a favorite form with cut- 
ters who have concentrated their minds on 
the form of the front alone, without ever 
dreaming of making a clean-fitting under- 
side. The propounders of that form of 
front (F C, Dia. 3), ought also to examine 
the appearance of the garment when on, 
and the different effects produced by the 
various styles of cut. Nothing can be 
more obnoxious to the eye, than to see a 
bellied man's trousers fitting close to the 
abdomen, which is sure to be the case, 
when the front is advanced in A E, with- 
out a corresponding addition in B C (Dia. 



40 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



3). The straighter we can get the trou- 
sers to hang in C, A, B (Fig. 2), the less 
visible will he the prominence of the front; 
and this can only be effected by the form 
of front represented by E D (Dia. 3) ; and 
the roulette front B D (Dia. 4). In the 
latter, the pattern is cut through the front 
from 1 to F, and opened from 1 to 2, ac- 
cording to the degree of round in F 
(Fig. 1). By this plan, we obtain an in- 
creased length ; and to provide for the en- 
larged circumference, add to the front in 
B C, and to the fork in E D ; and should 
the widths in the thighs be larger than re- 
quired, the superfluity must be taken off 
at the side-seam. 

DIAGRAM IV. 

The deviations illustrated by this dia- 
gram are only intended to explain the 
principle on which changes must be made 
in the garment from a proportionate style 
of cut. The front length may be enlarged 
so as to give the same effect as that pro- 
duced by the incision 1, 2, F, by adding to 
the side-seam in 3, 4, F, and raising the 
front in B. I cannot, with any certain- 
ty, state the degree of proportion these 
changes should bear to the circumference 
of the body, as the position, and other pe- 
culiarities in the form of the figure, will 
not admit of a literal application of any 
fixed principle for deviating, neither must 
the same kind of changes be made in all 
systems. 

DIAGRAMS V AND YL 

The inference to be drawn from the bear- 
ing of the different measures one to the 
other, is the data from which we must reg- 
ulate the character of the garment. Thus, 
if the waist measure be very large, and the 
reversed measure E F (taken through the 
fork) is small, the figure from which the 
measures were taken must be "pot-bel- 
lied," and will require the front as dotted 
marks at B. When the reversed measure 
is large, in proportion to the size of waist 



and seat, the figure must be of the round 
form, requiring a larger fork or a longer 
front. There are men who may be classed 
in the category of "bellied," who are not 
otherwise stout in proportion to the protu- 
berance of the stomach, neither are stout 
men at all times deep or thick in A B (Fig. 
2, Plate I) ; this class, though in some par- 
ticulars resembling the corpulent figure, 
must be classed under the head of dis- 
proportion of position, for they increase 
the angle D B by adding to the front, or 
on the hip, taking off the same quantity 
from D to A, and thus change the shape 
of the trousers without making any differ- 
ence in the size; and so long as the devi- 
ations are made to meet the requirements 
of the figure, they will tend to improve the 
fitting of the garment. Some cutters place 
implicit faith in theapplication of what they 
call check or proof measures. E, F, G (Dia. 
5 and 6), is supposed to be of value to de- 
termine the fork, and in ascertaining the 
necessary spring at E ; others apply the 
waist measure from E to F ; A H half the 
waist, and C D half the seat measure, A 
H and E F are governed one by the other, 
and if correct in one case, must be correct 
in all others, so also with regard to C D 
being equal to half the circumference (when 
the foreside is in a closing position with 
hind-part at the leg-seam), and if the cor- 
rectness of these quantities remain unchal- 
lenged, we have another proof that add- 
ing to the front in B, and to the seat in A 
(Dia. 6), is an error without an equal addi- 
tion in B D (Dia. 3). The more that is 
added in E B, and E A (Dia. 5 and 6), the 
more contracted we make the diameter A 
H, and C D. 

I am glad to observe a growing tenden- 
cy on the part of the trade to examine 
more fully into the diiiicultics attending 
the cutting, and the many defects we con- 
tinually notice in the fit of this garment ; 
the subject is both interesting and per- 
plexing, and it appears to me most singu- 
lar that with so many systems and pro- 




i:.-«.-»C;«i.'aai«:i Jj^f ii^iiil^ .^«j .■':.; i:^' ■'. 'l A 



.i.utiii 



The Great Pantaloons System, 



41 



fessed hands at the fitting of this garment 
scarcely such a thing as a good-fitting 
trouser can be seen in wear ; and I feel 
fully convinced that when we make a good 
fit — or what we consider a near approach 
to perfection, the credit is due more to 
chance, or the application of superior judg- 
ment than to the employment of any par- 
ticular system or method. I know about 
twenty distinct or different systems — 
American, English, French, German, 
Scotch, Irish, Welsh, and Polish ; they are 
all alike, very defective in the require- 
ments for all purposes. The same charac- 
ter applies with equal force to the systems 
taught by a few "tramping teachers." 
One in particular, rejoicing in an unpro- 
nounceable Polish name, ending with a 
"ke," ofiers, for the sum of one hundred 
sovereigns, to impart to as many flats as he 
can meet with, the long-lost secret of trou- 
ser cutting; this individual was very re- 
cently in this city (Glasgow), and has left 
a name behind him at Dundee and Stir- 
ling ; and those few who allowed him to 
experiment on their materials are not very 
likely to forget him soon, and though he 
makes liberal use of my name, he takes 
care to do so when at a safe distance ; 
should, however, an opportunity present 
itself, I shall be glad to show to this man, 
that theory and presumption is not all that 
is necessary to constitute a successful prac- 
titioner. 

DIAGRAM ir. 

A correspondent, whose letter evinces 
an original mind, calls attention to what 
he terms a " theory " for finding the cen- 
tral line, or what he considers the true bal- 
ance of the trouser. As a theory we agree 
with the writer, that by placing the square 
as shown by Dia. 4, an ideal central line 
is obtained ; and viewed only as an ingre- 
dient, or part of a principle, we can en- 
dorse the assertion, that trouser cut with 
the side-seam at B cannot possibly fit, nor 
assume the rectilinial position indicated by 
the line D C, without deranging the equi- 



librium of the garment from the fork line 
downward. This is one of the many delu- 
sions and fallacies which enchant students 
who only investigate a problem from one 
point of sight ; concentrate their thoughts, 
and limit investigation to probabilities at 
one part without paying due attention to 
the direct influence of changes at other 
parts when connected to that on which 
thoughts were expended. Granted that the 
distance B C in difierent persons is found 
to vary from 4 to 6 inches as indicated by 
the dotted marks, and that the side-seam 
in C E must be changed to the exact same 
extent, by more or less being cut off" be- 
tween R and E, and the position of F 
changed to agree with E ; as a theory this 
is very plausible, and quite consistent to 
the natural formation of the leg from D to 
C. This is another of the many proposi- 
tions, which, when only partially under- 
stood, lead to grievous errors, and tend to 
establish principles on vague surmises, and 
to reject realities which lay beneath the 
dreamy shadow of a huge mountain of 
prejudicism and conceit. Experience — 
the only safe monitor in all human aff'airs, 
or even a simple theoretical experiment, 
will suffice to convince those who are will- 
ing to learn, that "outsider's" gauging 
theory is nothing more than a wild, airy 
phantom, emanating from defective knowl- 
edge of the primary or governing points 
which produce causes, and give existence 
to eff"ects, not anticipated as likely to arise 
in the position of the line, by changes in 
the form of the body, and position of the 
front and seat-seam, which more immedi- 
ately govern the balance, and fix the loca- 
tion on the legs where the side-seam, and 
also the center line, will rest when the trou- 
ser are on. This can be easily proved by 
supposing the line D C to be parallel with 
a line drawn from A to B at six inches 
apart, and from G to E three inches, the 
same quantity being taken off" from E to 
B, and that the side-seam at bottom when 
the trouser are on, to be two and a half 
inches from the center of instep ; are we 



42 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



to conclude that the side-seam formed at 
B, the straight edge of material will be 
five inches from center of instep ? Cer- 
tainly not, unless the one underside is cut 
three inches narrower than the top-side 
from A doTvn, and the body above the line 
A G formed identical in both cases ; by 
following such a process no difference 
would be made in the character of the trou- 
ser, beyond changing the position of the 
side-seam. The more we take off from B 
to E the more contracted becomes the an- 
gle B G, and greater the certainty of bulg- 
ing at the knee, with less latitude for the 
free extension of the legs ; hence, follows 
the fact that when the side-seam is ad- 
vanced to E, the seat must be formed more 
hollow, and with greater angle as shown 
by G S, contraction in the legs rendering 
greater length to the body a necessity, but 
by no means an advantage to the fit. The 
"outsider " asks, "How can the old sys- 
tem of cutting trouser with the bottom of 
the side-seam stationary at B be valuable ?" 
We answer. By making the top of front 
more forward, and allowing less angle to 
the seat as shown by G II, which is much 
more natural and agreeable to the shape 
than the one drawn from G to S, the lat- 
ter by unnatural force keeping the side- 
seam from coming too fotward, and the 
bottom of the leg-seam at F being too near 
in a line with the fork point at G, a con- 
traction between G W, and E is an un- 
doubted sequence, and the cause of many 
attendant evils. 

We are aware that these ideas are con- 
trary to those entertained by a few of the 
theoretical teachers and cutters of limited 
experience, who are guided by the opinion 
of others, and those who will not take the 
trouble to investigate the subject for them- 
selves. We do not dispute the plausibility 
of the common assertion that trouser must 
be formed so that the legs will hang close 
and straight down when the garment is 
hold by the sides and suspended before us, 
but we do object to the method of produc- 



ing that efl'ect by changing the position of 
the legs, which is, when carried to ex- 
tremes very dangerous, yet never an abso- 
lute necessity, creating as it does greater 
defects than those sought to be avoided. 

DIAGRAM V. 

About fifteen years ago, when exper- 
imenting on the difference and respective 
merit of the "close" and "open" style 
of cut, we carried ideas as they suggested 
themselves to the ultimate, taking the side- 
line W as the line of demarkation ; then 
square the fork line A B, making the dis- 
tance say 12 inches, making G half the 
width at bottom, %\, thus giving a bias of 
four inches to the leg-seam ; this in many 
cases produced the side-seam too short and 
threw the leg-seam too long from the knee 
to the fork. We next tried the efl'ect of 
keeping B E at the same distance in from 
the line W W, taking ofi" four inches in 
S ; in this case the button of the leg-seam 
E is at a right angle with A A, but the 
stern reality of experience soon convinced 
us that this was also erroneous, and by far 
more fatal to the fit and comfort of the 
wearer than too long a leg-seam ; not to 
be defeated by these disappointments, we 
turned attention to the body from the fork 
line upward, which resulted in the intro- 
duction of the 

FRONT FORWARD SYSTEM, 

The efl'ect being produced by cutting the 
pattern along the fork line A B, raising 
one edge from A to C, and sending the 
front forward from H to F, increasing the 
length on the hips, and contracting that in 
B, II, F. The effect on the legs is the same 
as if one edge of the incision were lowered 
to D ; the bottom would fall from to 
that of S. The degree of these changes 
can be made at pleasure; we took one- 
twelfth of the seat (IJ), as a standard to 
advance the front more than half the seat 
from W. This system can be seen in The 
Cutter for November 16, 1867, and is the 



The Great Pantaloons Systein. 



43 



one referred to in " Nuneaton's " letter. 
We purpose holding the principle embodied 
in said system to be correct until some- 
thing better is introduced. Though not 
■willing to equal others in stupidity and 
claim for the system the character of be- 
ing "infallible," nor yet " the best system 
extant," we have too much respect for the 
talent and knowledge of other members of 
the profession to trade on such question- 
able assumption. 

DIAGRAM VI. 

Many a good hint can be picked up by 
examining an old garment, the form when 
just completed and that which it assumes 
after being worn for a short time ; it mat- 
ters not how they are cut, the form and 
movements of the figure will force them to 
an identity of shape, the defects becoming 
more or less conspicuous as they exist in 
the method by which they are formed; cut 
them as we may, the figure is sure to sup- 
ply the real central or balance line A B, 
which will run from a fourth of the waist- 
measure from the front, right over the 
knee, as can be proved by holding the 
trouser by the sides, with the top-ily but- 
ton on the seat-seam, then double the tops 
at half the width, letting them find their 
own level at bottom, and the real center 
will be indicated by the most prominent 
part of the knee at G, on the line A B. 
From A to C is supposed to be a fourth of 
the waist-measure ; the dotted marks show 
the front, seat, and leg-seams, and C D 
the side-seam. When the trouser are prop- 
erly balanced, and the fork of the correct 
size, they will lay quite smooth at II ; if 
too close in the legs, and too much hol- 
lowed in the seat, they will draw in creases 
from F to G, and bear symptoms of strain 
between those stations and a greater pro- 
jection at the knees, proving the fallacy of 
forming the trouser too close in the legs, 
or with the bottom at L being at too near 
a right angle with E K. 

A correspondent desires to know how to 



work the "Front Forward" system for 
very close fitting trousers, and to come for- 
ward on the foot. In further elucidation 
of the method, let us suppose a pair of 
trousers with border down the side is to be 
cut in the French bottom style, to the fol- 
lowing measures : Waist 16, seat 19, thigh 
24, knee 16, bottom 16, leg-seam 32. We 
always advise young cutters to cut a paper 
pattern of all garments until they have a 
complete set, and of different sizes, care- 
fully marking the various lengths and 
widths, and any alterations which they 
might require ; such patterns could be used 
as a guide to form the same kind of gar- 
ment though difi'ering in size. For the 
present, however, let us proceed to form 
them direct on the material. In the first 
place mark up from B to C, the leg-seam 
length 32 ; next mark in from the edge to 
B one inch ; from this station draw a line 
through C which is at the outside edge, 
and continue it up to A ; a line so drawn 
is to be the construction line, square with 
it, draw lines, B T, K L, C D, and E F, 
E being half an inch more than half the 
seat measure from C 10 ; B R six inches, 
K M one inch more than half the knee- 
measure, 9 ; C G half the seat 9 J ; E to F 
one and a half inches more than from C to 
G 11 ; to two-thirds 12f ; make the 
waist-line F S, square with the line G F, 
and make the rise as much higher as may 
be desirable ; form the fork by a sharp 
curve, and the leg-seam from through M 
down to R ; cross pockets are now so gen- 
erally worn, it is advisable to make the 
width of the fore side from F one inch 
more than half the waist measure, 9 ; 
make the side at S one inch higher than 
the front at F, the fork being small, and 
close to the abdomen, half an inch is sufii- 
cient to take out for dress, divided between 
fore and hind-part, as shown by the dia- 
gram. 

THE UNDERSIDE 

Is the part which more immediately influ- 
ences the fit of the trouser in a complete 



44 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



form ; the good qualities of the front may 
be destroyed by the position of the seat 
and leg-seam not being properly adapted 
to the front, and also to the form and po- 
sition of the body : these peculiarities are 
generally neglected, causing errors which 
a little attention might have obviated. 
Let us proceed to the completion of the 
garment, starting at the bottom ; B R be- 
ing six, make B T eight inches, which, 
with B R 6 will make 14, and the, two 
inches outside B will make up the size 16 ; 
L M half an inch ; D one and a half 
inches, then form the leg-seam from D to 
L and down to T. For the seat angle 
mark in to W from the front at F on the 
line E one inch and a half; then form the 
seam by a straight line from through 
"W. The inside being formed by the given 
quantities find the width at E F according 
as the size may indicate, the same also at 
the line H, adding from one and a half to two 
inches to the size, next ascertain the width 
in K M, which in this instance is 9, place 
this quantity at L, and mark the size at N 
allowing one inch for seams, and form the 
seam from the hip down to N, continuing 
down to the bottom outside the line at B. 
The hight of seat behind can be found by 
a curve from A, the center being taken at 
G. Attention to the principal points is 
an important element, but a well-formed 
garment cannot be produced without an 
equal amount of care being bestowed on the 
details and on the form given to the seams 
between the points. Some men are very 
large in both thighs and calves ; for such, 
a little round must be put on the seams be- 
tween D L and M, also opposite the calf 
and pressed well back to the center behind. 
As a guide to putting fairly together, lines 
must be drawn across the leg at V and Z, 
the top side being allowed three-fourths of 
an inch extra length, the hind-part being 
carefully strained out to said extent, and 
shrunk in just under the bend of knee. 
The bottom part from the line Z downward 
require to be put together with care and 
judgment, the top side pulled down to 



within two inches of the bottom edge which 
must be sharply sprung out so as to give 
sufl5cient ease for the bottoms to fall well 
down without making them appear too 
heavy about the ankle. 

We have no further information to give 
on the working of this system, and judg- 
ing from the numerous letters we are con- 
tinually receiving from those who practice 
the method, we are justified in concluding 
that success is attending the application of 
the principle to produce trousers for gen- 
eral purposes. 

The same correspondent wishes to know 
" a cure for trousers that catch or pull too 
much on the calf of the leg." This defect 
is a source of much annoyance to both cus- 
tomers and cutters, and is more readily 
observed in some systems than others. The 
form and position of the wearer has also 
much to do with it, particularly those who 
are full in the front and stand erect, and 
may have to these allied projecting calves, 
the defect varying in degree in proportion 
to the existence of the peculiarity in the 
conformation. The cure for such a defect 
is to change the "balance" of the trousers 
by increasing the front length and con- 
tracting that of the hind-part ; this can be 
effected by making the front at top less 
forward and adding the same quantity at 
the side-seam and allowing less seat angle. 
This is the principle to follow in order to 
eifect a cure, but no definite degree of de- 
viation can be given, and nothing but a 
trained eye to detect differences and judg- 
ment capable of estimating requirements 
can avert the existence of defects, or cure 
them when visible. To claim for a system 
the character of being perfect or even self- 
varying for either size or position is only 
a proof of the existence of a prodigious 
amount of arrogance in the mind of the 
claimant; and only a very limited oppor- 
tunity to practice on the living form will 
suffice to convince all right-thinking cut- 
ters that success in the practical depart- 
ment of our trade is not the offspring of a 



Tlie Great Pantaloons System. 



45 



developed mathematical problem, but the 
result of trained intellect, a tutored mind, 
matured and confirmed by experience, 
aided and guided by the advice of those 
who have mastered the rudiments of the 
art they profess to teach. 

TROUSERS. 

The contents of every one of our trade 
magazines, the communications of almost 
every correspondent, indeed we might say 
that the universal trade cry at the present 
time, is, that there is some radical error 
in our method of cutting trousers. From 
every town in every county in the United 
Kingdom the same inquiring voice of dis- 
content is heard; viz.. Can any one put us 
in possession of a method for producing an 
easy, elegant, good-fitting trouser ? For 
something like a quarter of a century we 
have heard this voice of discontent ; for 
the same period we have had a perfect del- 
uge of systems, which have been ofi'ered to 
the trade by their authors as a panacea ; 
but time which settles all difficulties, solves 
all problems, has taught us the fact that 
so far from having accomplished the ob- 
ject of our hopes and wishes, we are now, 
at the present time of our writing, as far 
from the goal of our ambition as our fore- 
fathers were twenty-five, fifty, or even two 
hundred years ago. There is no such 
thing in matters connected with human life 
as stagnation or standing still ; we must 
either progress or retrograde, advance to- 
ward perfection, or wander backward into 
chaos of ignorance as barren and cheerless 
to the human heart and intellect as the 
dreary caverns of the nethermost hell. 
Believing, then, that there is no standing 
still in science, literature, or art, we must 
of necessity, if we want to make progress, 
utterly uproot and destroy everything 
which stands as a barrier in the way of 
our success. If it is our fixed purpose to 
progress in our profession we must see to 
it that neither personal interest, prejudice, 
nor ignorant conceit, shall blind us to the 
discovery and propagation of truth. As 



a means, therefore, toward this end, let us 
take a retrospect of this present question 
of trouser cutting, which is one of the most 
important branches of our art. In open- 
ing out the question, we may first state 
that our object is not to introduce any sys- 
tem or idea of our own, but simply to state 
the position we are in, to awaken the at- 
tention and excite and interest in this very 
important branch of the trade; as, there- 
fore, we write for the interest of the whole 
trade, we will take what appears to us the 
shortest way of arriving at the truth. We 
will begin, therefore, by stating what for 
years past has been our belief; viz., that 
our present English methods of cutting 
trousers are a blunder and delusion of the 
rankest kind; the principles upon which 
they are built up and established being al- 
together erroneous and rotten to the very 
core. To prove this we have the treasured- 
up experience of cutters in every part of 
the country, the unanimous testimony of 
customers, and if we require a still strong- 
er test to prove the fact, let us take a 
quarter of an hour's stroll down any of our 
principal streets and what do we see? 
Why any number of trousers with beauti- 
ful, clean-fitting foresides, but as soon as 
our eyes rest upon the undersides of the 
trousers, what do we observe ? In nine 
out of every ten pair that pass us, we see 
a mass of unsightly creases running from 
the side and the seat, circling round be- 
hind the knee ; and in cases where the 
trouser appears to fit more gracefully, we 
find when we come to inspect them close- 
ly, that, after all, they are only " a beau- 
tiful bad-fitting trouser," and that however 
well they may appear to fit when the gen- 
tleman is in a standing position, and his 
legs straight, as soon as he sits down, the 
angular form of his body from the Avaist 
downward will cause the trousers to fly up 
from the boots q,nd from waist to seat, 
from seat to knee, from knee to heel, a 
mass of creases and wrinkles to appear. 
The question now comes. How is all this 
to be remedied ? We answer. By entirely 



46 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



abandoning our present methods, and by 
united action on the part of the whole 
trade commencing by experiment, investi- 
gation, and inventive discovery, to build 
up new principles more natural and har- 
monious with truth than those which have 
hitherto been practiced by the trade. As 
a starting point from which to commence 
our studies, we offer it as our opinion to 
the trade, that, except in the fork, it is no 
matter what the form of the top side may 
be, as it is in the undersides that the fit of 
the trousers will be found to exist. We 
will leave the question to the careful con- 
sideration of our readers, and the general 
trade, awaiting to see what the result of 
our remarks may lead to in this important 
question, our wish being to stir up a spirit 
of inquiry in the trade. Let every student 
earnestly endeavor, not so much to make 
a system for cutting trousers, as to find 
out the form of trouser best adapted to fit 
the human frame. If without a system, 
no matter ; we will be glad to publish any 
pattern and remark possessing sufiicient 
interest or novelty to command the atten- 
tion of the trade. 

TROUSERS— ENGLISH AND 

FOREIGN. 

The garment above all others upon 
which the attention of the trade is concen- 
trated, every practical cutter knows, is 
trousers. Toward the improvement of this 
garment the most strenuous efforts have 
been made ; time, talent, and money, have 
been lavishly expended without anything 
like a proportionate degree of successful 
improvement being obtained ; it might 
therefore be to our advantage to clear the 
way of all existing notions, so as in future 
to have a fair field for invention or exper- 
iments which tend toward the development 
of truth. First, then, let us take a " re- 
sume " of those particular circumstances 
which bar our progress in the development 
of the abstruse and hidden principles upon 
which the art of cutting is based. The 



first circumstance in connection with trou- 
ser cutting which calls for a remark, is the 
well-known characteristic love of the Eng- 
lishman for a good dinner ; hence, when he 
enters the establishment of the tailor, how- 
ever refined and fastidious his taste may 
be, however great his ambition to dress in 
fashionable style, taste, elegance, and pub- 
lic opinion may go to Halifax, Honolulu, 
or Hong Kong, if after the tailor has ex- 
ercised his utmost skill there is not room 
in the waistband of an Englishman's trou- 
sers for a good dinner. With many Eng- 
lishmen it appears to be a point of stub- 
born pride to thwart the skill of the tailor 
by wearing their trousers largo round the 
waist, and slouching downward, lest the 
fork should touch them; and this by dis- 
placing every part, destroys the harmony 
and fit of the entire garment. In the ex- 
ample specified, the waist of the trousers 
drops from their proper place on the per- 
son, the fork falls below the fork, the knee 
recedes below the knee, and the whole ap- 
pearance of the bottom is destroyed by its 
either treading in a slovenly manner be- 
neath the heel of the boot or otherwise 
having to be shortened to suit the altered 
position of the trousers. For the tailor to 
exercise his skill upon clients of this 
class by trying to produce for them a per- 
fect-fitting trouser, is like casting pearls 
before swine ; but fortunately there is in 
the connection of every fashionable tailor 
a select few who make dress an ornament 
to their person and sacrifice appetite at 
the shrine of beauty, preferring elegance 
of appearance to the sensual feeling 
achieved by dressing in a slovenly manner 
round the waist. We have no doubt it is 
the love of eating and indulgence in jrood 
things which foster the unnecessary prac- 
tice of wearing braces which in this coun- 
try prevails. Wearing braces is, in our 
opinion, one of the causes which hinder the 
development of our art ; because how is it 
possible to achieve success when the client 
can defeat the best efforts of his tailor by 
inadvertently having the front fastenings 



Tlie Great Pantaloons System. 



47 



of his braces placed one an inch higher 
than the other? or, as we had an instance 
in our own practice of an English noble- 
man who was wearing the front ends of 
his braces with the short end of the brace 
tabs on the front buttons, and the long 
ones on the side buttons, a fault which by 
pulling up the front of the trousers has a 
tendency to produce long, diagonal creases 
from the front of the waist to the knee. 
On the continent, where trousers are often 
worn v<-ithout braces, trouser cutting has 
been more studied, and has attained a 
higher degree of perfection than with us. 
This might be expected, because in trou- 
sers to be worn without braces, greater ex- 
actitude and a more skillful adjustment of 
the parts is required. Trousers without 
braces, if carefully constructed, can neither 
be kept in their proper position or toler- 
ated by any person possessing the slight- 
est degree of taste. 

There is yet another blunder in English 
trouser cutting which we have to point 
out ; viz., the invariable practice of taking 
the large or dress side of the trousers as 
the basis from which to produce the draft, 
when at the same time a moment's consid- 
eration might teach us that it is the small 
or non-dress side which must be produced 
by the divisional quantities and contain 
the system. The dress having nothing 
whatever to do with the system must be 
added as an extra item altogether separate 
and apart. Our remarks are penned pure- 
ly for the purpose of stimulating inquiry 
in this important branch of our profession ; 
we have not yet exhausted our list of 
"blunders" and purpose in our next chap- 
ter touching upon another aspect of this 
interesting and important theme. 



Oh dear .' what can the matter be? 
Oh dear ! what can the matter be ? 
Oh dear! what can the matter bo? 
Johnny can't sit in his chair. 

But his trousers are creasing from waist, seat, and ankle, 
l>ut Lie iroQsers are creasing from waist, seat, and Hnkle, 
But big trousers are creasing from waist, seat, and aukle. 
And the cure can't bo f'Und anywbere. 

Chords. — Oh dear, &c. 



As previously stated in analyzing the 
question of trouser cutting, it will be of 
ultimate advantage if we can first find out 
and clear away those particular points in 
our previous practice which have stood in 
the way of our success. It has been the 
custom of the trade in cases of extreme 
difBculty caused by the unscientific foi-m 
and construction of English trouser sys- 
tems, either to abandon the method by 
which the trousers have been cut, or else 
to try and work out some improvement in 
the form ; we will therefore gather up the 
tangled threads of this abstruse question, 
so as the more clearly and quickly to see 
our way. We therefore think the short- 
est way of dealing with it is to sum up the 
difiiculties of trouser cutting under two 
heads; viz.. Systems and their form. First, 
then, as to the question of 

SYSTEMS, 

The love of which has almost been the ruin 
of that particular branch of our trade. 
Every cutter who has had long practice, 
knows how usual a thing it is for inexpe- 
rienced cutters, when confronted by a se- 
ries of misfits, to lose faith in the method 
which they practiced, and try to find relief 
in some other system, which reputation 
warranted them in supposing would lead 
to greater success ; now we do think that 
after all the changes which have been rung 
— the hundreds, the thousands, nay, we are 
almost tempted to say, the millions of 
trousers systems which have been made, it 
appears exceedingly strange that the 
trade is now as unsatisfied and discon- 
tented as it was in the earliest ages of our 
art : we shall, therefore, in our present re- 
view of the question, look at it in a differ- 
ent light from which previous writers have 
entertained it, and first inquire, Is it the 
nature and construction of English sys- 
tems which is the cause of our failure ? or 
are we to look for it in some other source ? 
Our opinion is, that English cutters may 
go on making systems from now till dooms- 



48 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



day, ■without ever finding the key to the 
difficulty they are so anxious to solve. 
Then, asks the student, at what particular 
point in our practice are we to suppose 
that the difficulty is to be found ? In our 
opinion, the blunder is to be found in the 
unsuitable form accepted as their standard 
of proportion by the trade. This admis- 
sion brings us closer to the question, and 
the discussion of what we conceive to be 
the vital point in the whole subject ; viz., 

FORM, 

By which we mean that particular figure 
or outline, which all systems aim at as best 
adapted to produce a perfect fit. The 
question then which we shall have to test 
in our present dissection of this subject 
shall be, Is the present form of English 
trousers when considered apart from the 
principles which the system contains, or 
that particular outline which fashion im- 
parts, the best which could be employed for 
a standard of proportion and beauty ? Or, 
on the contrary, arc we to suppose that 
our want of success in trouser cutting is to 
be attributed to this fact, that the form se- 
lected by English cutters as their standard 
of proportion is a gross blunder and fatal 
mistake ? In our opinion, this is exactly 
the true state of the case ; and that when 
we have arrived at this conclusion we have 
also furnished ourselves with the reason of 
the myriads of bad-fitting trousers which 
are constantly to be seen in our streets. 
If systems had been the cause of this, we 
think that the rare skill and almost end- 
less ingenuity employed in their construc- 
tion must long ere now have resulted in 
success ; but if error in form has been the 
cause of failure, it is self-evident that the 
most perfect system which the mind of 
man could conceive, would never achieve 
success. This view of the question has 
been gradually forcing itself upon the at- 
tention of the trade, hence the tendency 
among those who have considered the sub- 
ject of trouser cutting most deeply, to try 



first one experiment and then another in 
altering the aspect of our present draft of 
trousers, so as to arrive at something like 
perfection of fit ; and here we may state 
what close observation has enabled us to 
detect ; viz., that the efforts of English 
cutters to alter and improve the standard 
form of trousers have been just as futile, 
always ending in failure, as their previous 
efi'orts to arrive at perfection by a multi- 
plicity of systems had been. We will now 
as a last resource try to solve the ques- 
tion, How is it that the best efforts of the 
trade to improve the form of our present 
standard trouser draft, has been altogeth- 
er barren in its results and without suc- 
cess ? We answer that it is because, in- 
stead of our efforts tending to variety of 
outline, or culminating in originality of 
form, we slavishly keep to the outline 
which our ancestors bequeathed to us, and 
adopt as our only method of reaching ac- 
curacy of outline and elegance of fit, a se- 
ries of bold experiments in the form of 

PATCHWORK, 

Which would be a disgrace to a society of 
seamstresses, much less a scientific profes- 
sion like our own. If we look in any of 
our trade magazines for information or im- 
provement in trousers, what do we see ? 
Why, most likely our eye shows us some- 
thing that bears a greater resemblance to 
an elaborate Chinese puzzle than a useful 
article of dress. In coat cutting it has 
been found that, if the garment is well bal- 
anced and the sizes propcrlj"^ propor- 
tioned, one or two pufi"s is all that is re- 
quired ; exactly the same treatment will 
ultimately be found to succeed in trousers. 
Let the form of the trouser be a natural 
one, harmonizing with the human shape, 
see that the garment is correctly bal- 
anced, and it will ultimately be found that 
instead of the present popular practice of 
recklessly hacking the material into all 
kinds of hideous shapes, that one or two 
insignificant puffs taken out judiciously 



Th& Great Pantaloons System. 



49 



will be all that even the most extreme fig- 
ures will require. 

In concluding our remarks, -we may an- 
swer one excellent question a correspond- 
ent has put to us ; viz., Do we not think 
that the almost universal adoption of a 
stripe down the side of trousers is one 
great reason of the many misfits we are 
called upon to deplore ? We unhesitating- 
ly answer, No, and offer it as our opinion 
that it is a matter of utter indifference 
what the form of the side-seam is, so long 
as the harmony of quantities correspond 
with the size of the measures taken upon 
the figure by which the garment has to be 
worn. 



ENGLISH TROUSERS. 

Oh! Rory O'More and his aypteni fell out. 
And what do you think it was all about ? 
It was full of anxiety, misfits and doubt, 
So Rury O'More and his system fell out. 

There is nothing so well adapted for the 
discovery of error, as a thorough, well- 
conducted, searching investigation. In 
our remarks, therefore, upon trouser cut- 
ting, we will touch upon those points more 
especially where, in our opinion, great 
room for improvement exists. The first 
fault we have to point out in English trou- 
sers is the want of harmony in their form ; 
this is the cause of their creasing to such 
a fearful extent as to raise a cry of horror 
from the whole trade. It is, to say the 
least, self-evident that where large and nu- 
merous creases exist, the object covered 
and the material which covers it cannot 
agree in their form. The second fault 
which we have to point out is, a want of 
grace in appearance. English trousers, 
even when they fit moderately well, never 
adapt themselves to the form of the leg, 
but always either hang straight and life- 
less from seat to heel, or are caught on the 
calf of the leg, dragging the bottom back- 
ward from the front of the foot ; we may 
say here that often when customers com- 
plain of their trousers being too small at 



bottom and not covering sufficient of the 
foot, if we examine closely, we will find 
that often when this complaint is made, 
the bottom will be quite sufficiently large, 
but owing to its being dragged behind by 
the calf of the leg, the bottom looks as 
small in front as a boy's trouser. An- 
other fault is the ungraceful, we might al- 
most say deformed, fork in English trou- 
sers ; an easy, clean-fitting fork is a rare 
thing to be seen ; creases across the thigh 
or long, diagonal folds running across the 
foreside from the waist to the fork ; in- 
deed, it was only last week we saw a 
pair of trousers in which to produce a 
clean-fitting fork, we should have had to 
fold over one inch on the double from the 
waist downward in front. When we are 
making remarks upon the fork, we may 
point out what may possibly be another 
source of error ; viz., taking the dress in 
the front or top side only. Does it not 
appear the more correct way to cut half of 
the dress out of the upper, and half out of 
the underside ? Is it not possible also, 
that our idea of a central line has some- 
thing to do with our want of success ? For 
example, if we take any of the central or 
plumb-line systems, cut a pair of trousers 
from them, put in marks all down the cen- 
tral line before making the garment up, 
and will we find the marks which represent 
the central line fall in the center of the 
foot and ankle ? If it does not fall at this 
point, but is found to be perhaps one, two, 
or three inches from the center of the foot, 
how can it be called " a central line "? 
We throw out these hints for the benefit of 
the trade, and in the meantime indicate 
what appears to us to be the points of 
beauty and of failure in 

PARISIAN TROUSERS. 

Although an Englishman, yet we can- 
not blind ourselves to the great superior- 
ity of continental over our own method of 
cutting and making up trousers. The 
Parisian trouser fits clean and closely in 



50 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



the fork, but is free from any feeling of 
tightness to the wearer. The Parisian 
trousers, while they hang gracefully from 
seat to heel, yet cling to or define the hol- 
low of the knee behind, and without rest- 
ing upon the calf descend gracefully down- 
ward and fit closely to the heel without 
being drawn in or tightened. In front, 
the trousers fall free and smooth from the 
knee to instep, the bottom always appear- 
ing larger than the bottom of an English 
trouser, even when it is cut to the same 
size. In the making up of their trousers, 
the Parisian tailor displays consummate 
taste, nothing slovenly, nothing coarse ; 
gilt buttons instead of the brazen material 
of which our own is manufactured ; rich 
silk and fine linen are the material used 
for furnishing the best-made French trou- 
sers. The one point of ugliness to be 
found in all continental trousers, is the 
odious, ungraceful-looking bunch of mate- 
rial which is always to be found accumu- 
lated under the strap and buckle at the 
waist behind ; this is the one careless and 
ungraceful point in continent.al trousers ; 
in every other point they excel. 

In concluding these remarks, we give it 
as our opinion, that the best basis from 
which to commence our studies in aiming 
at improvement in trouser cutting, is to 
find a real central line, placed in such a 
position on the garment, that when on the 
person it will fall in the center of the in- 
step in front and the heel behind. 



Ah I waa rambling down the atreet, 

A pair of good-fitting trousera I chanrod to nioet 

I n the Strand I Id the Strand ! In the Strand ! In the Strand ! 

I wish I was a Frenchman, Heighol Ueighol 

What I'li adore, forevermoie 

la troueera cut A La Francaia. 

Coming events cast their shadows be- 
fore, therefore let us hope that the present 
expression of dissatisfied feeling uttered 
by the trade may be accepted as the fore- 
runner of improvement in the cutting of 
trousers. We have expressed our opinion 
in regard to trousers, directing, as it were, 
the finger of science to those important 



features in which experience prompted us, 
improvement could be made. There are yet, 
however, one or two points upon which we 
will touch, giving as we go along, such ad- 
vice as we suppose may be of advantage to 
those students who are earnestly panting 
after improvement in their profession. 
First, then, let us turn our attention to the 
question which concluded our last week's 
article ; viz., the central line. Up to the 
time of our writing, it appears to have 
been held sufficient by the trade to possess 
as the basis of trouser cutting, a contin- 
uous unbroken "plumb" or "central 
line." If the legs and lower portion of 
the human body were a simple figure such 
as a cone or cylinder, then a continuous 
central line would be perfectly correct as 
its central or line of diversion ; but science 
and philosophy teach us the fact, that the 
frame of man "is fearfully and wonderful- 
ly made;" therefore, instead of accepting 
the so-called improvement introduced into 
the trade because a portion of the profes- 
sion were charmed by its novelty, let us 
rather bring to bear upon it the cloud-dis- 
pelling light of science, so as to find out 
whether it is based upon, and runs_ paral- 
lel with, perfect truth. We will at the 
outset ask ourselves the question. Can a 
simple, unbroken central line pass through 
the center of every part of a compound 
figure, such as we see in the legs and that 
portion of the human frame which lies be- 
low the waist? We unhesitatingly an- 
swer. No ; for science and experience have 
made self-evident the fact that as the hu- 
man body is intersected by joints at every 
part, in like manner if we wish our basis 
to be scientifically correct, so must we in- 
tersect our central line, and because this 
has not been done, we have time after time 
been beaten and baffled in our attempts to 
introduce improvement in the form of trou- 
sers. We argue, then, that what is re- 
quired as an improvement in the basis of 
any successful trouser system is, a broken 
central line, each intersection to be placed 
opposite to its corresponding joint. With 



The Great Pantaloons Systeiiv. 



51 



regard to the form best adapted to secure 
a perfect fit, this could easily be decided by 
a course of experiments ; but at this point 
of the subject, our readers may be dis- 
posed to ask whether it would not tend to 
the solution of this knotty question to em- 
ploy models, after the manner of artists 
and members of the various academies, in- 
stead of confining ourselves to the chance 
pairs we can see tried upon our regular 
customers. Suppose that an individual or 
a number of individuals, such for example 
as the members of the various foreman 
tailors' societies, were to carry out a con- 
secutive series of experiments upon a liv- 
ing model employed for that special pur- 
pose, such a mode of investigation would 
test the systems of the present day more 
perfectly perhaps than any other method 
could possibly do, enabling us sooner or 
later successfully to decide the question of 
trouser cutting, and ultimately assisting us 
to arrive at something like the truth. 

TROUSER CUTTING. 

While on the question of cutting trou- 
sers, we will make a few passing remarks 
upon one or two things which appear to us 
to stand in the path of success. We will 
first turn our attention to the different 
quantities employed by authors and invent- 
ors to decide and work out any given 
point ; take for example the fork of a pair 
of trousers, or the shoulder of a waistcoat 
or a coat ; we find one author gives in- 
structions to find the shoulder by one-third 
of the breast-measure, another gives one- 
fourth as the proper quantity, another 
gives one-fifth, while others prefer finding 
their shoulder by one-sixth, one- eighth, or 
one-twelfth, as the case may be. Now it 
must be self-evident to any intelligent stu- 
dent that the whole of those quantities 
cannot possibly be right. If any of the 
quantities given correspond to the ratio of 
expansion and contraction of the human 
frame, it is evident that each of the other 
quantities must of necessity be wrong. 



The same argument holds good with re- 
gard to the fork of a pair of trousers ; 
some find this portion of the garment by 
one-fourth, another by one-third, another 
by one-sixth, when the slightest consider- 
ation must convince us of the fact, that if 
one of those are right, each of the others 
must of necessity be wrong. The great 
want in our opinion in English trouser sys- 
tems is not so much mathematical ingenu- 
ity as depth of thought. 

Some of the chief difiiculties of trouser 
cutting is caused by the action of the an- 
gles of the body. Look, for example, at 
the client when in a standing position ; at 
such a time his body only slightly diverges 
from a straight line ; but no sooner does 
he assume a sitting position than his body 
changes its form and appearance entirely, 
by falling into a number of acute angles, 
some after the style of the letter W. This 
alteration in form requires a much greater 
amount of length to meet it, which causes 
the work of the cutter when constructing 
trousers to become such a difiicult task. 
To meet the requirements of this altera- 
tion in form, more length must be given at 
every point ; but how to give this length 
without leaving traces of the surplus 
material when the client is in a standing 
position, is the chief difficulty which the 
cutter is called upon to solve. When dis- 
cussing the question of the angles of the 
body we may appropriately enter upon the 
question of 

RIDING TROUSERS. 

It has been the general opinion among 
English cutters that trousers for riding 
purposes required a very different draft 
from those intended for walking. We have 
long held the opinion that if trousers were 
properly constructed very little difi"erence 
would be required ; because, if we come to 
consider, there cannot be such a material 
difference between the position of the legs 
on horseback and that of sitting upon a 
chair, especially if the knees are placed 



52 



The Great Pmitaloons System. 



•widely apart. We are tliis week having a 
pair of trousers made in what we consider 
the form best adapted to fit well when 
walking, and intend to take a ride into the 
country, this being in our opinion one of 
the best and most agreeable methods of 
testing this abstruse and difficult question. 

We do hope that the proprietors of our 
valuable journal will at once see it to be 
their duty and privilege to pay at least the 
tolls ! 

WAISTBANDS. 

We have often thought that trouser cut- 
ting has deteriorated among us since the 
time when this garment was introduced 
with the bands cut on. We do believe that 
unless the figure is a very shapeless one, it 
is a difficult, if not an impossible, task to 
produce an easy, perfect fit ; let us take as 
our example a case where braces are not 
worn ; to meet the requirements of this 
case, the band must be cut exceedingly 
hollow, as a very large amount of spring 
is required, so that when the trousers are 
buttoned round the waist, the upper edge 
of the waistband shall be perfectly free 
and not tightened round the ribs, as must 
certainly be the case if the band, instead 
of being well hollowed, is cut straight. If 
the bands are cut on the trousers, it is al- 
most, if not quite, impossible to obtain a 
sufficient spring on the top edge of the 
trousers. But even if by stretching, the 
requisite amount of spring should be ob- 
tained, it then becomes a question whether 
the present method of binding the tops of 
trousers would not altogether destroy the 
efl"ect produced by stretching the top edge. 
We some time ago saw a pair of Parisian- 
made trousers in which a Vee of stout silk 
was introduced into the tops ; but even this 
was a failure, as what is required is not a 
puffing out at one particular part, but a 
continuous flow of the spring along the en- 
tire length of the waistband. 



TROUSER BOTTOMS. 

We have always considered that there 
has been room for a great amount of im- 
provement in this portion of the garment ; 
as long as systems are uncertain in their 
construction, trousers will be produced so 
as to appear ungraceful and to a disadvan- 
tage upon the foot ; because, if the work- 
man cannot be certain as to which part of 
the upperside is to be considered the cen- 
ter, he can never make up the bottom of 
the trouser to exhibit any degree of taste. 
It is generally understood in the trade, 
that the side-seam of a pair of trousers re- 
quires to be made up a little deeper than 
the leg-seam when making up the bottoms, 
but the reason for allowing this additional 
length is not so generally known ; if, how- 
ever, the student will examine the shape 
of his foot, he will at once see the reason 
why this deviation requires to be made, 
which is because the outer half of the foot, 
where the side-seam of the trouser falls, is 
considerably larger and more rounded than 
the other side. When treating upon the 
question of trouser bottoms, we may here 
enter our protest against a very false and 
obnoxious custom in the trade ; viz., that 
of cutting such a large amount of spring 
on the bottom of the undersides. This, in 
our opinion, is a mistake. If the trousers 
possessed their proper and legitimate form, 
we believe that with one half the present 
amount of spring a better and more shape- 
ly form of bottom would be obtained. 

THE LIMBS. 

FIGURE II. 

In our efforts after perfection in scien- 
tific cutting it has always been a fatal 
blunder, that the limbs of the human body 
have not been sufficiently studied and un- 
derstood. This oversight has caused the 
trade time after time to miss the target at 
which they have aimed. Takefor instance 
a single garment — trousers; our opinion is, 
that if the leg of the human body had been 



TH AG It AM V. 




The Gi^eat Pantaloons System. 



53 



more closely studied and systems for trou- 
sers been constructed on the close-fitting 
principle, instead of the loose-fitting bags 
generally worn, we might not now have 
been called upon to mourn our want of 
skill in cutting trousers. There is now, as 
there always has been, a great difference 
of opinion among authors and inventors ; 
some like a central line, others object to 
it ; some pin their faith to the plumb-line, 
others object to the idea altogether, while 
a third class of disciples believe in nothing 
so much as having their basis line down 
the side-seam, which, as a matter of course, 
their opponents in science altogether ab- 
hor. We never dreamed of undertaking 
such an arduous task as to decide who is 
right and who is wrong in this important 
matter, but an anxious desire on our part 
to have the true starting point from whence 
our studies should commence, has induced 
us to publish figure 2; here we have dis- 
played the made figure upon which our va- 
rious correspondents who wish to illustrate 
their ideas of either a "plumb line" or a 
" central line," will have ample field for 
development. Let systems in future be 
made close-fitting and to the shape of the 
leg, and in our opinion one half of the dif- 
ficulties of trouser cutting would at once 
disappear; the thing appears to our mind 
self-evident. For instance. Is it probable 
that coat cutting would ever have arrived 
at its present state of perfection, if coat 
systems had been constructed on a loose- 
fitting principle similar to the Talma 
shape ? We believe that the essence of 
success in cutting trousers or coats is first 
to be perfectly correct in the normal shape 
or form, because if the normal shape of 
any garment is an erroneous one, it be- 
comes impossible to avoid an ultimate mis- 
fit. 

DIAGRAM V. 

Being very much impressed with the 
utility of idea in the communication of 
" Hibernicus," published May 15, and in 
an improved manner July 17, I thought 



that some of your talented contributors 
would have given some of their views upon 
it. I felt somewhat interested in his plan, 
inasmuch as I had some time ago made 
some experiments much in the same direc- 
tion, or rather with the view of obtaining 
the same results, which did not succeed 
very satisfactory to myself, I therefore re- 
solved to try again on the basis suggested 
by him. I then tried upon myself, and am 
now wearing a pair of trousers cut identic- 
ally the same as the full size draft* sent 
by this mail, which, allow me to say, are a 
very excellent fit, and so pronounced by 
all who have seen them. 

I have drawn out a regular pair of trou- 
sers, and marked the manner of obtaining 
the changes necessary for the alteration of 
seams ; and that the principle may be bet- 
ter understood, I will explain in as brief 
and explicit a manner as possible the reg- 
ular trousers first. My measures are : 
Length of side, 43J- ; leg-seam, 3.3| ; waist, 
38 ; seat, 40; bottoms, 17; from to 1, 
diiference between leg and side-seam ; from 
to 2, length to knee ; from 1 to 3, leg- 
seam ; from 1 to 4, one-third of seat-meas- 
ure ; from 4 to 5, one-sixteenth of seat- 
measure ; from 4 to 6, one-eighth of seat- 
measure ; from 6 to 7, one-sixth of seat- 
measure ; from *, which is one-twenty- 
fourth of waist from 0, go one-fourth of 
waist-measure each way to 8 and 9, and, 
as a general rule — except in particular 
cases, which the cutter's experience will 
suggest — whatever the point 8 exceeds the 
one- sixth of seat-measure from go up 
full the one-half above the square line; 
from 6 to 10, one-half of seat-measure ; 
from 3 to 11, one-quarter of the measure 
round the bottoms ; from 11 to 12, one- 
half less than one-sixteenth of bottom 
measure ; draw a line from 5 to 11 for leg- 
seam, keeping about two seams inside of 
11 at bottom ; as those are with a side- 
band, draw a straight line from 12 to 10, 
or whatever width you wish to make your 

•Diagram 5 ia the draft reduced. 



54 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



fronts at that point, and form your upper- 
sides like draft. 

THE UNDERSIDES. 

From 4 to 13, one-twelfth of seat ; from 
7 to 14 and 7 to 15, two inches more than 
seat measure; from to 16, one-half of 
waist-measure ; from 12 to 17, one-half of 
bottom measure, and half an inch ; from 
11 to 18, half of bottom measure. Place 
your finger between 4 and 5, and sweep 
from 9 for top of seat ; go about two seams 
above 7, and draw a line through that 
from 5 for seat ; take a V out of underside 
at waist to make it the right size, and 
mark according to draft, coming in at knee 
and other points of the leg to measure or 
size required ; for guide to leg-seam, draw 
a line from 5 to 17, going in about two 
seams at 17. 

Now, to make the alterations necessary 
to produce a change in the direction of the 
seams, go from 1 to 19, one-twelfth of 
seat-measure ; draw a line from 19 through 
4 to 20 ; from 4 to 20, one-sixth of seat ; 
from 20 to 21, one-eighth ; from 21 to 22, 
one-sixteenth of seat ; square up from 21 
to 23, one-sixth of seat measure and two 
seams ; draw a line from 22 through 23 
for seat seam; mark 24 in the center be- 
tween the upper and underside at knee ; 
from 1 to 25, one-twelfth of seat ; draw a 
line from 24 to 25 up to top of seat, and a 
line from 24 through 20 ; sweep by 24 
from 26, top of seat, to 27 ; on each of 
these lines come in a little at points 26 
and 27, and rounding out about three- 
eighths or half an inch opposite where you 
apply the seat measure, hollowing out be- 
low 20 and 25, according to the size re- 
quired, crossing each other at 24 ; do not 
take out the V, as in the original under- 
side ; take oif the side-seam of underside 
as much as you have added on at the two 
lines opposite the seat. This makes the 
trousers set close up the side, and forms a 
receptacle for the posterior, which con- 
forms to the shape of the body when stand- 



ing, and when sitting takes off the strain 
from that part toward the front of crotch, 
and does not draw up the leg of the trou- 
sers. For the sake of economy, and to pre- 
vent you cutting the two undersides dif- 
ferent shapes, to allow for dress, it is best 
to cut across from 14 as marked, and take 
dress out. 

I hope, sir, that this may prove accept- 
able to you and your patrons, and may 
help to incite to an investigation on the 
subject, without occupying too much of 
your valuable space and time. If I can, 
on any future occasion, give you anything 
new, or throw additional light on the 
investigations of others, it will be a pleas- 
ure so to do. 

1)1 A GRAM II 

Will aid more fully to comprehend the 
value of our premises, and enable those 
who will take the trouble to investigate the 
subject for themselves; and we have every 
confidence that they will soon discover that 
not a few of the many defects in the fit of 
trousers are immediately traceable to their 
self-varying principle — particularly as re- 
gards the development of the size at waist. 
Let us take a trousers pattern, cut for a 
person measuring fifteen inches in the 
waist and eighteen seat, and place them in 
a closing position at the fork, with the 
side-seams intersecting at bottom as shown 
at C and D ; when so placed, that the 
space or diameter between one and six, is 
equal to half the waist- measure, fifteen 
inches. With many first-class trousers cut- 
ters this principle is invariably applied and 
forms a definite standard in their proced- 
ure. If any value is to be placed on the 
waist-measure being applied from 1 to 2, 
as mentioned in the standard, a propor- 
tionate size, why not for all other sizes ? 
If a person, whose circumference is thirty 
inches, requires half this quantity of space 
for the body to go into, the inference may 
be reasonably drawn, that a person whose 



jyiAGltAM 11. 




The Great Pantaloons System. 



55 



half- waist measure is eighteen, will require 
the exact same space to contain his in- 
creased bulk ; or, that 1 and 6, in this in- 
stance, should be eighteen inches apart. 
Those systems wherein portions of the size 
radiate from a central line, teach the neg- 
ative conclusion, that the larger the bulk 
or substance, the smaller must the space 
be to contain it. 



TROUSER CUTTING; 

OR, THE VARIOUS METHODS EOR 
PRODUCING TROUSERS. 



DIAGRAM I. 

The cause of the variety, and contrary 
opinions entertained and expressed by cut- 
ters, regarding the merits of different sys- 
tems, must, in our opinion, be traced to 
one source ; viz., the want of more thor- 
ough knowledge of the extent, nature, and 
positive difference between one system and 
another. The definition of the term "sys- 
tem " is, " a scheme which reduces many 
things to regular dependence or co-opera- 
tion." We are therefore to infer that the 
various schemes or systems which are 
adopted by the members of the tailor craft 
are no other than methods, by the aid of 
which effect is given to quantities obtained 
from different parts of the figure; so that 
the combination of a variety of quantities 
may be united, and caused to act together 
and to continue their active influence until 
the completion of the garment, which, 
when finished, is expected to harmonize 
with the form it has to cover. A system, 
to be correct in its operation, must be free 
from incongruities, and when in a com- 
pleted form, ought to be the embodiment 
and coalition of ideas suggested by reason 
and matured by practice. 

Nothing is easier than to arrange a prob- 
blem composed of lines and angles, to be 
expanded or contracted as the product of 
a given measure may dictate. Neither 



can we admit any particular difficulty in 
arranging a method that will produce a 
good-fitting garment for the standard or 
proportionate conformation. How often, 
in his daily experience, does the practi- 
tioner meet with this ideal form ? Seldom 
indeed. If the waist, seat, and thigh meas- 
ures are found to quadrate, the form and 
position will be found opposed in every 
particular to our anticipations. All those 
systems that are alike in their first condi- 
tion, will preserve their good and bad qual- 
ities throughout the different stages of 
their developments. Defects in the fit oc- 
casionally arising and becoming more con- 
spicuous in some sizes than in others, owe 
their existence to the principle on which 
systems work, often producing effects in 
the garment contrary to that demanded by 
the figure. These are complicated and 
complex cases, and judgment is expected 
to provide for their requirements. The 
faculties, however, cannot exercise their 
function in idealism, or theses unknown 
and undefined. Judgment dictates changes 
from a recognized standard for a figure 
wherein the eye, mind, and measures have 
collectively comprehended abnormality in 
either size or position. When we suggest 
an increment at one part and contraction 
at another part of a garment, we do so 
from conviction that they are consonant to 
the form — mental computation acting on 
the senses, and by comparison of one size 
and form with another of the same kind, 
or positive contrast. 

An examination into the nature and 
character of opposing elements, may, and 
often does, lead to the discovery of truths 
where least expected to be treasured up. 
The greater number of the comparisons we 
make of one system or principle with an- 
other, the more certain our knowledge is 
likely to prove, being established upon a 
more systematic, extensive, and perfect de- 
duction. An opinion ought never to be 
enforced or expressed on any subject or 
principle in cutting, unless the critic is 



56 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



prepared to demonstrate errors in the basis 
from ■which his ideas and conception of the 
beautiful in the science take.their depart- 
ure. We have frequently heard theorists 
expatiating on the superiority of the sys- 
tem which they used, adducing no other 
arguments in support of their views than 
the result of their own experience. This 
process of reasoning will suiBce to show 
that a system is good and giving satisfac- 
tion to those who employ it, whose expe- 
rience and cogitation having made them 
familiar with its defects, they are able to 
anticipate and avoid the recurrence of in- 
herent errors. But this mode of criticism 
is not sufficient to establish the pre-emi- 
nence of one system over another, and is 
both uncertain and delusive — often lead- 
ing men of little minds to ludicrous con- 
clusions, to reject one system and to ac- 
cept another as superior, when in reality 
the minutest scrutiny could not detect the 
smallest diiference in the productions of 
the two methods. 

DIAGRAM I 

And others that are to follow are intro- 
duced in the hope of our being able to lay 
down some basis that will aid a student in 
making a faithful comparison between one 
system and another ; and to show the parts 
at which differences exist, and the effect 
of such differences on the style and fit of 
the garment. To illustrate the subject of 
our remarks, we will take the common 
standard size : Waist, 15; seat, 18 ; thigh, 
24 ; knee, 18 ; bottom, 17 ; leg-seam, 32. 
Let the lines A, B, C, D, be drawn at 
twelve inches apart; fix the rise in the 
body, length of leg, and the location of 
the knee line. JIark the front line at 
eight inches from the side line B D ; take 
out half an inch at 1 ; from the side to the 
fork point, twelve inches, and two and 
three-quarters from 8, for the hollow of 
fork ; hollow the side-seam at knee three- 
fourths of an inch, and mark half the 
width at bottom as from D to G ; and shape 



the leg-seam as the width may fix its loca- 
tion. The top and underside are to be the 
same shape all the way down on the out- 
side, and the seat-seam formed as the 
measure may require. This method of 
forming trousers is one of the simplest and 
oldest known in the trade. We know 
many cutters of the old school who will not 
throw aside this primitive method ; they 
find it answers their requirements, and well 
suited to produce trousers for those for 
whom they have to cut. 

The principle of this process of drafting 
is quite clear ; the position of the front 
line 8, 8, being dependent on the size at 
waist, and consequently the space between 
8 and 12 is influenced by the waist meas- 
ure, acting in the very opposite direction 
to the changes which are really required 
for the large and small-waisted figures. 
The width across the fork is to bo regu- 
lated by the thigh measure, which in the 
larger sizes are seldom found of the same 
relative size to their development in the 
body, as in the smaller or proportionate 
forms. That the influence of the two 
measures on the form of the trousers may 
be more fully understood, let the waist be 
36, and the thigh 23 inches ; the front 
would be found at 9J, and the fork point 
at 11 J from the side line B D; then the 
space known as fork, or from 9J to the 
point, is reduced to two inches only, for a 
person whose waist measure is 36 inches, 
while for the 30 waist, and 24 thigh meas- 
ure, four inches of a fork was allowed. 
This is one of the flagitious defects which 
exist in such systems as Minister's, Cocks', 
and others, wherein the waist is enlarged 
on the same principle. 

The question which now suggests itself 
is this : Will a pair of trousers cut as de- 
scribed, and shown by the heavy lines, fit ? 
With certain qualifications, we may an- 
swer in the affirmative, and say. Yes ; but 
for general purposes, the plan is very de- 
fective ; the direct source of the defects in 



IHa. I. 



Itia. '*. 





Tlie Great Pantaloons System. 



57 



the side-seam being too short in D, 1, for 
the inside length in 8, G, the result being 
an accumulation of cloth at the fork, and 
the leg-seam too long from the knee up- 
ward. Several changes have been sug- 
gested with the view to obviating and mod- 
ifying these defects. About fifteen years 
ago we attributed the cause of the defects 
mentioned to the side-seam being too short 
on the hips. There are two ways for in- 
creasing the length at that locality — ad- 
vancing the front, which leads to the in- 
troduction of the " front forward " system. 
The other is to leave the front stationary 
at 8, and close the legs by taking a piece 
from the side, as from D to E, varying 
from one to four inches or more, accord- 
ing to the size to which the trousers are 
being cut. The effect of changing the po- 
sition of the legs is, to increase the lehgth 
on the outside, and in ratio shorten that 
on the inside, and remove the superfluity 
of material from the fork. 

The extent of these changes in the loca- 
tion of the legs is a question upon which 
cutters and teachers of cutting are not 
unanimous. One is satisfied to let the bot- 
tom of the side-seam rest on the line at D, 
and mark out the width to G ; another will 
take two inches as from D to E, and fix 
the leg-seam at H ; a third will let his leg- 
seam rest as at C, which is on a line drawn 
square down from the fork, then mark out 
half the width at bottom from C to F. In 
this instance three Und a half inches would 
be marked in from D to F. So long as 
the front is left stationary at 8, a material 
change is made in the character of the gar- 
ment. Any addition made to the width of 
front at 8, will immediately influence the 
bottom part of the trousers. The more 
the front is thrown forward, greater angle 
must be given to the seat, as shown by the 
fine lines, and less marked in from D. 
This is necessary to keep the side-seam 
from becoming too long, which is the in- 
evitable consequence of making the trou- 
sers close in both body and legs. 



We have on several occasions introduced 
diagrams and endeavored to bring the 
principle embodied in this system, clearly 
within the comprehension of those who are 
investigating the subject of trousers cut- 
ting. Many of the contrarieties of opinion 
on the subject owe their origin to a defect- 
ive knowledge of the extent, and positive 
differences which may or may not exist be- 
tween one method and another. When a 
system is submitted for acceptance by the 
trade, or critical investigation, it is but 
right to expect, and reasonable to suppose, 
that the principle possesses some feature 
essentially different from anything that has 
hitherto been promulgated, and an im- 
provement on the emanations of other 
minds. The front forward method has the 
merit of producing a style of trousers dif- 
ferent from the production of all other sys- 
tems ; whether the divergence from the 
common and stereotype style of trousers is 
in the right direction or not, is a conclu- 
sion not easily arrived at. We claim for 
the method no higher pretension to the at- 
tainment of perfection, than the embodi- 
ment in its operation of a character we be- 
lieve to be at least an element of improve- 
ment, which, in some degree modifies some 
of the more conspicuous defects in the 
comfort and fitting of trousers. The de- 
fect here alluded to is, the superfluity of 
material which accumulates about the ab- 
domen, generally attributed to there being 
too much fork ; this excess of width shows 
itself, when standing, in a kind of fold 
down the front to mid-thigh. When sit- 
ting, the trousers become too long, and 
form in series of creases across the stom- 
ach ; were it practicable to cut those out, 
or even to baist them up, as an experi- 
ment, the superfluous length will vanish. 
The front length being thus contracted, 
the balance, or seat length is so much 
longer in proportion to that of the front. 
To an inquiring mind a question will nat- 
urally suggest itself; viz.. Would not add- 
ing to the seat length produce an identity 
of character in the garment. This must 



58 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



be answered in the negative. The rustic 
aphorism tells us that, " two Tvhites will not 
make one black;" neither can addi- 
tional seat length obviate the defects which 
arise from an excess of the same character 
in front. One of the most frequent com- 
plaints against the fitting of trousers, as 
formed by the majority of systems, is too 
much fork, caused by the position of the 
front, or the legs being too open, forcing 
too much material to the fork of the trou- 
sers when sitting, or standing with the 
legs close together. The real difficulties 
which present themselves are these : To 
remove that accumulation of material 
which is allowed to be superfluous, without 
causing some other unsightly and objec- 
tionable defects. 

In a former article on this subject, we 
expressed an opinion that the cause of the 
defect just mentioned — that is, too much 
material about the fork — is immediately 
caused by the side-seam being too short on 
the hips ; we have also shown that by cut- 
ting the pattern across the fork line and 
inserting a piece, the desired increased 
length is obtained, by either advancing the 
front, or closing the legs, and giving what 
some of the modern theorists are endeav- 
oring to palm on the trade as some newly 
discovered panacea that is to atone for all 
past failures in trouser cutting ; viz., a 
" close " style of cut. Some twenty years 
have elapsed since we first studied and ex- 
perimented on various systems, and the 
particular character embodied in their pro- 
duction. The front forward system at- 
tracted our special attention ; and we may 
here state that the method was shown to 
us by a cutter who had practiced it for 
many years before. We paid the modest 
sum of one guinea for the plan, or more 
strictly speaking the ideas, contained in it, 
which are applicable to all systems. The 
specific peculiarity of the system is, ex- 
treme closeness in the legs, produced by the 
change made in the position of the front. 



SAILORS' TROUSERS. 

BY ANTONY. 

I have noticed in a recent number of 
The Tailor and Cutter a note from a cor- 
respondent requesting some one to favor 
him with a system or diagram showing how 
to cut a pair of trousers in the style worn 
by the gallant British tar, and seamen gen- 
erally. Having had considerable experi- 
ence in cutting such garments, at the com- 
mencement of my career I met with some 
difficulties to surmount before I could 
make a proper fit, sometimes making a 
pretty good job, and at other times as bad; 
the reason of bungling being because I had 
no fixed system to guide me as to their 
peculiar form. The method I am about to 
show was given to me by a tailor who was 
on board H. M. S. Racoon, at the time H. 
R. H. Prince Alfred was on board of her, 
and I have used it ever since with every 
success and satisfaction. 

DIAGRAM nil. 

Is for a man measuring : Waist, 34 ; 
thigh, 2G ; hip, 38 ; knee, 18 ; bottom, 22 ; 
leg-seam, 30. This style of trousers is 
always made with a waistband, and the 
top fulled upon it as from to P. The 
outside is formed by a straight line, and 
on the double edge of the cloth ; the per- 
son who has figured of late in the columns 
of The Tailor and Cutter, and claiming to 
be the inventor of trousers without side- 
seams, is far behind the age we live in, or 
he must be old enough to be placed in a 
glass case and exhibited as a very rare 
specimen of longevity ! 

Mark down from the length on the 
outside, taken from one inch above the 
haunch bone, 41 ; mark up the inside leg- 
length, 30 ; knee at 16 up from bottom, 
23^ is at half the distance between 16 and 
30. Square with the edge of cloth, mark 
from and 30 for the front line half the 
seat-measure, 9J- ; continue on the fork line 
half the thigh, 13, and from 23J-, 9|, and 



DIAGRAMS VIII, IX. 




The Great Pantaloons System. 



59 



10, -which quantities are half the hip, 9. 
Sailors' trousers are seldom made wider at 
knee than eighteen inches, even for sizes 
much larger than the one given ; from 41 
mark in for width of top side, the same as 
at knee, 9. The underside at bottom is 
found by marking 13 from 41, and the 
fork point at 15 from 30, or two inches in 
advance of 13, and let the seam be found 
with a free run, from 15 to 10, and of the 
same width at knee, excepting an allowance 
of two seams; mark from 13 to 14, one 
inch, and draw seat line through 9|^ at top 
side, sweep L with 14 as a center, allow 
the top a little more round than as found 
by the curve, as the fullness will have the 
eifect of making it more hollow. Spring 
out from straight line at L, and leave a 
vent three inches long ; round the seat on 
most prominent part, come into straight 
line and hollow out to 15. Care must be 
taken when marking from T to the bottom 
at 13, not to hollow the seam too much, as 
that spoils the nice, easy appearance from 
knee downward. 

The waistband is marked in plain fig- 
ures ; the sewing on edge is to be slightly 
hollowed, and two eyelet holes made be- 
hind for tying in. 



I have used this system for fully ten 
years, in a large trade in an important sea- 
port town, and from the success that has at- 
tended my efforts to please customers, I 
can safely recommend the rule to those 
who may have to cut such garments. 

DIAGRAM IX 

Shows another style of sailors' trousers, as 
worn by men on board merchant ships, 
pleasure yachts or revenue cutters ; they 
are drawn out in plain figures, and for the 
same size as the other diagram, so that the 
difference may be the more rapidly seen. 
They are formed without bands on the 
top, yet they will answer to be worn with- 
out braces. 

If these are accepted, and prove of the 
least service to the readers of such a far 
circulating journal as The Tailor and Cut- 
ter, I shall shortly send a diagram of a 
pea, or reefing jacket. They are cut dif- 
ferent from those worn by the public gener- 
ally; but I am sure they will prove ac- 
ceptable to many of your readers in remote 
places, who have to cut for fishermen and 
seafaring men. 



THE 



^f f tt gtnttltttf g|f ft m.> 



P^ET THIRD. 



Easy Lessons for Young Beginners. 

TROUSER CUTTING AND TROUSER 
MAKING. 

To begin " easy lessons " on trouser cut- 
ting and trouser making, is a much more 
difficult task than the character intended 
to be given them would imply, or than the 
majority of our readers ■would imagine. 
We presume the epithet " easy " was given 
to the former "lessons," from the easy, 
simple, clear, and concise style in which 
they conveyed very useful information to 
the young and inexperienced among our 
readers, and because they differed so much 
from the ponderous editorials and philo- 
sophical disquisitions on Wampen, &c., 
which abounded in the journal last year. 
Certainly it is no easy task to Jcnow how 
to begin the present scries, or where. He 
knows little of the literature of our trade 
during the past few years, who would calm- 
ly and fairly say what " class " of cut he 
would recommend to begin with. We ask. 
Is it an easy matter to decide between the 
"close" and "open " cut, the "straight" 
or "crooked" form? Who will decide 
against "center lines," and favor con- 
struction from the side-seam or leg-seam? 
Who, with any show of reason, will con- 
demn seat-measure systems, and approve 
of admeasurement ? or will condemn ad- 
measurement and approve the other ? Who 
dares call Humphreys a humbug, and 
Cocks a snob ? or that the one was not as 
good as the other, and better too ? Then 



prithee, good folks, is it so easy after all 
to write " easy lessons " for your edifica- 
tion ? We tell thee. Nay ; for all cuts fit, 
though not equally well, yet sufficiently so 
to make it difficult to decide for any. A 
letter before us, from an A 1 trouser cut- 
ter, with a world-wide reputation, says : 
" I cut, one day last week, a dozen pat- 
terns of trousers — 16 waist by 19 seat — 
by a dozen different systems, including 
Humphreys', Belfast's, Wampen's, Minis- 
ter's, Oliver's, George Smith's, and half a 
dozen others, and, strange to say, they 
were all alike. I would as soon cut by 
one as the other." After that, who would 
say : " So and So's is the best." " Cut by 
the center line principle ; it is better than 
this, that, or the other." It's the "best 
extant," the "infallible cure," &c., &c. 
Well, as there is but one way out of this 
difficulty, and that not permissible in these 
degenerate days ; viz., to abjure trousers 
and take to kilts, we must endeavor to get 
over it as best we can, and utilize our dif- 
ficulty by making it the means of convey- 
ing our "lessons " to our readers, who are 
as various in their views as there are 
authors to propound them. 

It is, however, a sad admission to make, 
that, as a trade, or profession, we have no 
common basis to start from in our discus- 
sion of almost any point connected with 
the art of cutting, and that, in conse- 
quence, though we have multiplied system 
by system during the past thirty or forty 
years, there has been little, if any, real 



The Great Pantaloons Systeiyi. 



61 



progress made. It would almost seem that 
cutting is destined never to be a science — 
never capable of being taught like law, or 
physic, or divinity — that its most success- 
ful followers must be those with a natural 
artistic taste, who have a large and varied 
experience among the best trades in the 
patronage of the nobility and gentry. 

Our chief difficulty in making these 
" lessons " really simple and easy to our 
readers being the diversity of ideas afloat 
in the trade, on so many of the points re- 
quiring elucidation, will become the very 
means of enabling the least experienced to 
master the instructions given, if they but 
bear in mind that each idea is better suited 
for a given form that any other could be. 
For example, the " forward front " idea is 
specially adapted for a certain class of fig- 
ure, just as the idea of long seat angle is 
the most suitable for another form, and a 
short side-seam for a third description of 
customer. 

We will thus eschew the discussion of 
what is, after all, of but very slight impor- 
tance ; viz.. What system is cut by ? It 
is sufficient to know what a system will 
produce. Knowing that, it is easy to give 
it the very opposite character if required; 
as for instance : it produces a very open 
trouser, and we wish to have a close one. 
Is there any difficulty in doing that ? We 
think not. And accepting this principle 
of easy adaptability to all requirements, it 
becomes our medium of educating the 
young how to employ it for obtaining 
those ends which they strive after. Let 
them but imagine their system drawn out 
as a "block pattern" for a proportionate 
figure, or let the less experienced, who 
wish to be accurate, take one of the model 
patterns cut by Belfast's system and sup- 
plied at our office; by our "easy lessons " 
they will soon learn how to shift it on the 
cloth to meet the changes arising in the 
customer to be clothed. But it must be 
borne in mind that unless a cutter knows 



the kind of pattern his system will pro- 
duce, he is not in a fit state to take advan- 
tage of these very easy lessons. 

ON MEASURING FOR TROUSERS. 

It may seem superfluous to begin so far 
back as the measuring for trousers in these 
"lessons," especially as this journal teems 
with remarks on such things ; and as ev- 
erybody is supposed to have the required 
knowledge of how to obtain the correct 
size of his customer before he begins to 
cut. That may be all quite true, but we 
do not intend proceeding on suppositions, 
or taking it for granted that every one is 
as smart as the editor, or, even as our- 
selves. And we have the idea that if a 
thing is worth doing, it is worth doing well 
or not at all, hence we prefer beginning at 
the beginning. Of course, those who are 
so clever, need not read this at all, but 
tlicy will be the losers, not us. So many 
claimants assert superiority over all others, 
it is perhaps not an easy matter to decide 
what the best method of measuring is. We 
have measuring machines like telescopes, 
and machines like saddles, such as lately 
appeared in The Cutter, and machines so 
indescribable we cannot attempt it. There 
are tapes with loops in them, and tapes 
with brass ends on them, and good, 
plain tapes with fingers to use them, which 
are perhaps as good as any. The tapes 
with loops are thus described in Minister's 
work on Cutting : "Double down the plain 
piece at the end of the tape to the com- 
mencement of the measure, placing be- 
tween it and the measure a piece of stay, 
or narrow tape, about a yard and a quar- 
ter long, which must be fastened in so as 
to leave two ends of equal length hanging 
from the top. By taking one of these ends 
in each hand, the measure may be drawn 
up between the legs, one hand being 
brought in front of the person and the oth- 
er behind." The advantages claimed for 
this method by those who practice it are, 
that no matter how clumsy the trousers 



62 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



may be on which the customer is measured 
in, nor how close he may keep his legs to- 
gether at fork, the correct length can al- 
ways be obtained ; besides, it is considered 
much less indelicate and unpleasant to the 
customer than by placing the tape close up 
to the fork by the hand. 

We make no remark as to the accuracy 
of this method, never having practiced it, 
but we see nothing to choose between it 
and the other on the score of delicacy. 
The tape with the brass at the end is al- 
lowed to be very useful in obtaining the 
exact length of the leg-seam by those who 
use it, for, being suiSciently stiff, it can 
be placed close under the person without 
the hand touching the customer. Eut 
great care must be taken in using it, else 
a similar mistake may occur as befell a 
friend of ours who was "strong " on the 
use of this measure. Placing the end of 
his tape, one day, in the fork of a custom- 
er, he found the whole of the four inches 
of brass disappear before he could find a 
resting place for the end of it; and in his 
confusion he took the measure just four 
inches too long, from the very simple cause 
that a small slit had been in the joining 
seam and the brass end had passed up be- 
tween the drawers and the trousers, giving 
the very false result mentioned. 

A good story is told of a country tailor who 
was sent for to the castle, to make a pair 
of trousers for Sir Pinto Macdust, an ec- 
centric swell of bygone days. The Knight 
of the Thimble, never having made trou- 
sei-s for the Knight of the Thistle before, 
was so forgetful as to reach the castle 
without his inch tape. The valet was a 
bit of a wag and advised him to go in to 
Sir Pinto and simply look at him through 
his thimble without taking any measures at 
all, as how could he? This done, to the 
astonishment of Sir Pinto, the valet gave 
our hero a pair of the baronet's best fit- 
ting trousers as a pattern, which he took 
home, ripped down, and cut the others by, 
with the most gratifying results. Sir 



Pinto boasted often of his clever tailor 
who made him the most splendid trousers, 
by simply looking at him through his thim- 
ble ! so far the story, which we do not 
vouch for. 

No matter what method of measuring is 
adopted, one indispensable requisite is that 
the inch tape be clean; nothing looks 
worse than a dirty tape to measure a gen- 
tleman with ; besides being clean there is 
less chance of a mistake in the figures. 
Some cutters are not at all particular about 
this trifle, but cut and measure till the 
freshness goes off it, then it may be used 
in the cutting room and another substi- 
tuted for measuring, and so on.' Another 
thing about measuring tapes is, that they 
should be as narroiv as possible. Far 
greater accuracy is attainable with a nar- 
row tape than with a broad one, for al- 
though a twist gets into it, there will be 
less change in the quantity than a twist in 
a broad one would cause. 

We will be pardoned for making anoth- 
er suggestion to the cutter, before he leaves 
his cutting room to measure his custom- 
ers, and that is, always have clean hands 
and nails, both for your own comfort and 
that of the customer, as well as for keep- 
ing your tapes clean longer. We consider 
it to be an excellent proof of self-respect 
in a man when he is particular about his 
hands, and self-respect begets the respect 
of others. 

Well, let us proceed to describe the act- 
ual operation of measuring a customer. 
Some cutters are extremely awkward in 
their manner of measuring — a thing which 
should never be apparent to the individual 
being operated on. We have seen a cut- 
ter change his position several times in the 
course of measuring a single trouser ; first 
taking the side-length, then the leg-seam, 
after which the thigh, knee, and bottoms, 
then taking waist, hips, seat, and undress 
thigh — involving the greatest amount of 
"fussiness" possible. As we are pre- 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



63 



sumed to speak mth some degree of au- 
thority, we will describe a more excellent 
way, even our own method. Taking our 
stand in front of the customer, we begin 
with the to}), taking, u<aist, liips, and seat, 
gradually getting lower ; as wc bend the 
knee we take width of thigh, Jcnce, and 
bottom ; without needing to rise, or change 
our position, we pass our hand behind the 
left log and place the end of tape at fork 
and take length of leg-seam, carefully 
touching the knee first with left hand, then 
dropping the right to take its place, we 
continue with left to the heel. Without 
change of position, the side-length is also 
obtained, and this completes the operation, 
for we take no admeasurements, nor do 
we measure the undress side. It is a piece 
of unmitigated fudge to do such a thing, 
as it gives no result which can be calcu- 
lated on. Even if a man wore neither 
shirt nor drawers in his trousers it would be 
fanciful on the part of any to suppose this 
measure would serve to indicate the exact 
amount of dress needful to be taken out. 
And as he does generally wear these 
articles, we cannot know how much of his 
shirt is on one side, and how much 
on the other, and we suppose that no idea 
has yet been entertained among shirt- 
makers of putting the vents in the center 
— behind and before, instead of at the sides 
as at present worn, though why it has not, 
is not quite apparent. 

These measures should all be entered in 
halves, with the exception of the lengths, 
for this reason, that so many of the meas- 
ures being nearly the same, confusion is 
apt to arise when glancing at the book or 
entry containing them. 

Having taken all necessary measures, 
the next stage in our progress is their ap- 
plication. AVe shall suppose the pattern 
carefully cut ; or if no pattern has been 
cut, the trousers carefully drafted out, by 
system. If the latter, it is needful that 
the " chalks " lie at a certain angle on the 



cloth. To make this clear, we will take 
the pattern as cut and place it on the cloth 
in order to cut the trousers. We will also 
suppose that the material has a striped 
pattern upon it. In order to have a nice 
looking trouser, it will be conceded that 
these stripes fall in perpendicular fashion 
— not after the "New Patent Twisted 
Stripes," which "Land's End" sang so 
sweetly about, some time ago. It will also 
be admitted that to avoid the " slantin- 
dicular," the pattern must be placed in 
such a way that the stripes will fall just 
right: to show how is our present object. 
For the upper sides there is no other 
course open, nor advisable, than to have 
the side-seam running straight with the 
border. With the undei-sidcs it is diifer- 
ent. As a rule, we know nothing better 
than that the leg-seam, from where the 
spring at fork and bottom begins, should 
be straight with the stripe ; of course the 
same remark applies to checked patterns 
as well, and when attended to carefully, 
the results are always good. In large- 
sized trousers, there is apt to be a good 
deal of spring at top of side-seam on un- 
dersides, and when the legs are made tight, 
the points of the stripes do not look very 
graceful ; this can be avoided to a large 
extent by allowing the upper sides to be a 
trifle broader than usual from the knee, or 
even from the bottom upward, and when 
cross pockets are worn, it is productive of 
no evil results further than placing the 
seam well back upon the leg. Many cut- 
ters hold that in all materials it is better 
to have the straight thread running as we 
have directed for stripes, for the very good 
reason that a straight edge and a bias one 
together will keep the trousers in good 
form longer than if the side-seams were 
both straight and leg-seams both bias. We 
agree with them and recommend its adop- 
tion, even at the expense of the cloth. As 
our remarks arg about to become more 
general in their use to both workmen and 
cutters, we will add a word further to the 
latter on the " marks " for making-up, ere 



64 



The Gj'eat Pantaloons System. 



we address ourselves more particularly to 
the trouser maker. 

ON " MARKS " FOR MAKING-UP. 

During our experience on the board we 
have seen these marks placed at all points 
on the seams, some at knee, some near the 
fork, some near the bottom, some at the 
waist-measure down from fork, and some 
at the seat-measure from same point, are 
seemingly chosen from habit or teachings 
without any definite idea to warrant them. 
In loose, wide trousers it does not matter 
much where the points are placed, pro- 
vided they are correctly put together ; in 
close-fitting trousers it is different, as we 
will show by our recommendation. We 
advise that a mark be placed about four 
inches above the knee on both sides, an- 
other about eight inches from the bottom, 
also on both sides ; the idea being that the 
trousers can be perfectly put together with- 
out the danger of twisting the knees or 
calves in stretching or shrinking. With 
the points placed thus, it admits of the un- 
dersides being thoroughly stretched and 
shrunk under the knee, and the extra 
length thus obtained can be so accurately 
carried down and placed on the upper side 
opposite the calf, thus forming a fitting 
covering for that prominence without en- 
dangering the appearance in any way. 
These remarks apply equally to the making 
up of breeches and pantaloons. 

TAKING OUT THE DRESS. 

In taking out the dress, care must be 
exercised in the manner of it, not that it 
matters much where it is taken out, wheth- 
er behind or in front, but to what extent 
and in what form. Our diagrams will 
show what we consider the real method is. 
If diagram 1 is the manner employed, all 
that is necessary is that point 2 be the 
same distance from A as point 1, and that 
the front be gradually hollowed as dia- 
gram. Some cutters invariably bring 
point 2 down to the level of the line 1, 3 ; 



but that makes it shorter than it ought to 
be, and produces a certain catch or drag at 
fork, besides being credited with twisting 
the bottoms, &c., &c. 

Diagrams 2 and 3 show how to take the 
"dress" off the undersides. When the 
leg-seam of undersides is cut straight at 
top, like the diagram, and the underside 
much sprung at top, it gives better form 
to take "dress" out in this way. The 
fronts are hollowed a trifle, and so is the 
back, and a piece is run off down the leg. 
This necessitates the two leg-seams being 
parted to the extent of the piece taken off 
the spring of undersides. In thick mate- 
rials this is advantageous on account of 
the thinness it gives at the usual junction 
of the seams, and is perhaps preferable to 
any other mode of providing for undress 
side of trousers, certainly better than the 
mode of adding on at top of front of fly 
and taking off at the side-seam, an out- 
rageously round-about way of providing 
for nature in a totally different locality. 

In largo-sized trousers, cut from doe- 
skin or other dressed materials, fork-pieces 
are necessary. Many cutters allow their 
men to put in a piece exactly of the same 
shape as the angular form of fork point 
causing the want. That should always be 
straightened in order that a straight seam 
be made instead of a cornered one. These 
remarks may seem very trivial to some 
minds, but our aim is to teach the young 
and inexperienced, not those who, like our- 
selves, have grown gray in the service ; 
and we shall endeavor to scatter little 
seedlings of usefulness in every unculti- 
vated spot that is open to us. In doing so 
we may be sneered at, but we will hold on, 
and endeavor to make these simple, easy 
lessons as full, as comprehensive, as mi- 
nute, and as accurate, as our experience 
will enable us, and as our desire to be use- 
ful will prompt us. 

The trousers have now reached the work- 
shop, Tom, Dick, or Harry, has just opened 



Th& Great Pantaloons System. 



G5 



them on the board. His first duty is to 
"mark them in," -which he does carefully, 
scorning to do the snobbish, untailorish 
act of notching his leg marks or the length 
of the fly. These he marks with a thread, 
as all good tailors do, along with the "usu- 
als " at side, leg, and seat-scams, which all 
careful cutters will endeavor to leave when 
the cloth will permit ; this done, the next 
thing is to cut the "flies" and "bearers" 
for pockets. Some only cut the hole fly ; 
for the button stand they simply baste on 
a piece of the cloth, and then cut it as they 
think to fit — this is a mistake, both " flies" 
should be cut by the "hole " side, for this 
reason, the button stand is only attached 
to its own side, it lies on the opposite one, 
therefore it should fit the side it is to oc- 
cupy when worn. It is not a question of 
"dress" at all, for whether the customer 
" dresses " to the right or left the' same re- 
quirement will hold good. AVhen cutting 
bearers or pocket facings the only advice 
necessary is to cut them exact to the form 
of tops and with the grain. 

The trousers are now marked in, the 
flies and bearers cut ; the next stage is, put 
in the pocket stays and stays for the bot- 
tom of fly. A single rule for staying will, 
it is hoped, be suflScient for all the stays 
necessary in the trousers, and that is, if 
the strain acts in only one way, put the 
linen or canvas the straight way of the 
thread to the action of the strain ; if the 
strain acts in two or more directions, then 
two stays are necessary, one straight the 
other bias. That is the true philosophy of 
staying garments, and he is the true work- 
man who acts accordingly. As much use- 
ful information has already been given on 
this subject in former lessons, we waste 
not our time and space here by repetition, 
but hasten to open newer sources of infor- 
mation for our benighted brethren. 

Before going further, let us cut the 
pockets, observing first not to make them 
too deep, not more than the depth of hand 
from top, unless ordered specially by cus- 



tomer ; for these reasons : First, linen 
cufls being so universally worn by our cus- 
tomers, deep trousers pockets are a great 
source of annoyance and trouble, by break- 
ing the starch and crumpling the cuff" most 
alarmingly. Another reason, if pockets 
are too deep, their contents lie too far 
down and bulge out on the thighs and cre- 
ate discomfort and unsightliness, besides 
being an unpardonable waste of stuff". The 
proper place for the bottom of pockets is 
just in the hollow of the leg opposite the 
bottom of fly. Whatever of an ordinary 
nature is placed there, is not at all visible 
and gives no discomfort ; care, however, 
must be taken that the bottom points do 
not meet in the center; in cross pockets, 
such as are worn now, a vent at side of 
one inch is very useful, giving ease to the 
hand, and admitting of a smaller pocket 
mouth. 

The next point of action should be to 
piece the tops and forks, and seam to the 
button stand ; then before basting up, take 
an iron and stretch the bottoms, knees, 
and wherever it is necessary, and open the 
seams just sewn. It is much better pro- 
ceeding thus than waiting till the trousers 
are seamed before shrinking the bottoms ; 
besides it gives an opportunity of adjust- 
ing the tops and forks aright before the 
parts are put together. When the forks 
are pieced, the cutter should baste or pin 
a piece of paper and cut it to the exact 
form he wishes that part to be, and the 
workman should piece one first, then cut 
it by the paper, then piece it and cut it by 
the other. Most workmen cut off" this 
piece of paper and cut the fork pieces by 
it, often forgetting to allow seams, and 
often losing the pattern altogether, and so 
very effectually marring the chances of a 
nice fitting trousers. Attention to such 
little matters is a vast help to the cutter, 
and the honest workman will ever seek to 
produce the best results, from an intelli- 
gent appreciation of the truth, that an 
employer's interest is the true basis of his 
own. 



GG 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



Let us now baste up the trousers, and 
this should be done "with judgment and 
care. The starthig point, of course, is the 
knee marks, or rather the marks above 
the knee, as we have advised. It is un- 
tradesmanhke for a man to begin at either 
top or bottom of the trousers, when bast- 
ing ; it proves that he is a very clever fel- 
low, entirely, who can guess exactly that 
the marks will come all right to each oth- 
er, no matter where he begins, and it 
proves more, it proves him a conceited 
snob if he has learned his trade at all ; and 
if he knows no better, it proves that his 
apprentice-master has been guilty of gross 
dishonesty in not teaching the boy his 
business. After that, we fancy no trouser 
maker will ever begin to baste at any other 
points than the marks. Suppose we take 
the right leg-seam first, begin at the mark, 
having the uj^perside ahvays vj) ; the un- 
dersides having been stretched under the 
knee, hold the uppers on easy till the top 
of calf is reached, then hold on the under- 
sides as far as the marks at ankle, from 
which keep plain for an inch or two, then 
hold the tops tight again till the bottom is 
reached. In basting the upper part of 
leg-seam keep plain to fork, or — according 
to the design of cutter, who may fancy a 
lot of fullness is necessary on the under- 
sides — for a few inches down from fork, 
though what its use is we have never 
learned, and should like to know. For 
side-seam, begin at bottom marks and baste 
upward, observing the same rule in rela- 
tion to fullness and tightness, as at leg- 
seam ; continue upward from top marks, 
keeping the edges quite fair, unless a little 
fullness is necessary to undersides just over 
the round of hip. 

Cutters should be careful, when a lapped 
side-seam is wanted, how they put the 
chalks on the cloth, as an alarming state 
of ignorance prevails among workmen gen- 
erally as to the making up. If the trou- 
sers are chalked in the same way as for an 
ordinary seam, the chances are they will 



be made up two seams or half an inch too 
wide ; for the upper sides will first be basted 
in right upon the chalk, and then the edge 
of this will be placed exactly to the marks 
of inlay of undersides, instead of two seams 
further over, and the result is, the trou- 
sers are too wide, from .a fault which an 
ounce of brains put in operation would 
have prevented. This "wrinkle" might 
be of use to a goodly number of coat mak- 
ers also in the matter of lapped seams and 
collars. 

It is to be observed that our remarks 
are meant to apply, at present, only to 
proportionate garments. A little further 
on we will shovv' the changes necessary in 
putting together and pressing ; in seaming 
and basting ; for knock-knees ; bandy-legs ; 
feet turned out and feet turned in ; and many 
other little peculiarities to be met with in 
which our trousers are made for. So just 
now we will hasten to get out of the drag 
a bit, by sewing the seams of our now well- 
basted trousers. And do not _ suppose, 
good reader, that this is unnecessary in 
these pages, even at this age of the history 
of tailoring. We speak seriously when we 
say that it is an easy matter to spoil the 
" hang " of a pair of trousers^by bad seam- 
ing alone, even by hand seaming as well 
as by machine sewing. " Oh ! anybody 
can sew a plain seam of a pair of trou- 
sers," say some tailors ; and they throw 
them to a ten day's apprentice, bidding 
him seam it strong and straight, or to a 
girl at a machine, who will expend the 
same care upon it as she would on a pock- 
et. We pity their ignorance, and do not 
wonder at their tame, formless trousers. 
We have seen it over and over again, that 
a pair of trousers hung up in the hand, 
when folded down the center in front and 
back, would not fall straight, do as we 
would. Re-pressing and shrinking have 
proved fruitless efforts, the same "wab- 
bly," sickly things had to be sent out, if 
there was not time to have them ripped 
down and sewed over again. 



The Greed Pantaloons System. 



GT 



Like the busy bee we seek Iioney from 
every flower, and reproduce here the re- 
marks of "II. P." Bradford, on seaming 
and its results, as given in a letter which 
appeared in The Cutter of 4th December 
last. He says, and he is entitled to speak 
on this subject : " Seam the leg-seams 
with a slack hand, so that when pressed it 
will give a little, and also when stooping 
or striding it will be more easy ; then seam 
the side-seams with a tight hand, the same 
as you would seam the lapels on a very 
round breasted dress coat. In pressing, 
keep the sido-seam straight and pull the 
leg-seam, by which means the legs will 
hang fair, &c." 

Now, unless great care is exercised it is 
impossible that scams sewn with the ma- 
chine can have this quality of case in the 
leg-seam and tightness in the side-seam. 
The machinist should be cautioned reg- 
ularly on this point, as being of the great- 
est importance in securing a good hanging 
trousers. Another quality in machine 
sev.'ing is elasticity, without which it is 
folly to use a machine at all ; happily this 
is a quality quite compatible with very 
tight as well as very slack sewing, and its 
existence in a seam is quite easily recog- 
nized. No seam should leave the machine 
without being tested by stretching to the 
fullest extent of the material ; and if a ma- 
chinist is so careless or reckless as to neg- 
lect this, it is the workman's duty, in the 
interest of his employers as well as for the 
means of turning out a garment he can 
take a pride in, to report the machinist or 
have the testing done himself, and any 
broken stitches made good. 

We need not point out tliat it is essen- 
tial that the cutter or superintendent 
should go over every portion of a machine 
seam before the garment leaves his hands, to 
discover if any slips have been made in the 
final press off. There is a great deal of 
blame attachable to workmen who must 
know every stitch that is cracked during 
the time a garment is in his hands. A 



linen or silk thread does not snap without 
a strain, nor without being heard, and 
there is no excuse for a man's sending in 
a garment with even one broken stitch in 
it unmended. It is the merest childish- 
ness on the part of the trade to be jealous 
of machines now-a-days, and to try and 
bring them into disuse by allowing their 
defects to appear, and even to make them 
intentionally in order to wreak out petty 
spite and ignorant spleen. Though in 
most " logs " a pretty liberal share is giv- 
en to the workmen of the machine's earn- 
ings, it is a pitiable fact that but a very small 
per centage will condescend to fasten an 
end left by it. They prefer taking their 
scissors and lopping it oif instead. Does 
it never occur to such men's minds that 
such acts are at once dishonorable and dis- 
honest ? 

Supposing now that the seams are sewn 
correctly, the fly may now be faced at 
fronts, and the stay put on the button 
stand. The bottom of fly should be pret- 
ty close to top of leg-seam, sufficiently so 
to have the tacking completely out of sight 
when the trousers are on. In order to 
keep the front edge tight, stay tape should 
be put in it as in the edge of a coat, and 
the fronts should be lined with selioia to 
match the color of trousers. Some use 
linen which very soon loses its appearance, 
and does not wear well. Others use al- 
paca, or Italian cloth, and silk ; these do 
very well if wear is of no consequence, but 
we prefer selicia to any other material for 
this purpose. This done, the second press 
may be put in, the tops stayed, and hole 
fly put in ; this should be put in with care, 
a little shorter, if anything, than the out- 
side. The stitching in of fly should al- 
ways be done with the hand, as it has to 
bear a very considerable strain which is 
not wise to put upon machine sewing in 
this place, for if the bottom stitch should give 
at any spot, a rather unpleasant encoun^ 
ter may be looked for with you? cuatomer, 



68 



The Great Pantaloojis System. 



as an hour's further wear Tvill bring the 
whole fly away. 

We do not deem it of imperative impor- 
tance in carrying forward these easy les- 
sons, to enter into aZZthe details of making 
up the trousers ; all that we aim at is to 
point out those little trivialities of work- 
manship which have an important bearing 
on the Fit merely, and which are very apt 
to be lost sight of by the young and inex- 
perienced tailor — or, if thought of, con- 
sidered as of no importance whatever. We 
believe, however, that our reference to 
these little things, with the reasons adduced 
for their more careful treatment at the 
hands of both cutters and workmen, will 
serve to show that it is almost impossible 
to overrate the importance these small mat- 
ters bear in the properly finished gar- 
ment. 

We will make no further remark at pres- 
ent, as to how to do this, that, or the other 
thing, in the finishing of the trousers. How 
to put in pockets, to stay and bind tops, 
how to work holes and put on buttons, 
and how to join the trousers and press them 
off, need not be touched on here by way of 
dictation. We will rather — by way of a 
change of treatment — suppose the trousers 
finished, and brought down to the cutting 
board for inspection. We will first of all 
catch them with finger and thumb at sides, 
and hold them up before us in real a la 
Cocks' fashion. We look on this leg, then 
on that, to see if they fall equally straight ; 
we find the right leg turns in from the side 
as if its ankle were twisted. What can be 
the matter ? A variety of causes might 
be given here, but it would be useless work 
to show which is the true one. If the 
trousers were on the customer it might be 
interesting to speculate as to the real 
cause ; but as they are hanging before us, 
we see clearly that the " turn " is only 
from below the knee and must be caused 
by careless putting together, bad seaming, 
or unequal stretching and pressing. You 
will probably find, on examination, that 



the ease on undersides has not been equal- 
ly given at side and leg-seams, and that 
when pressed, the trousers yielded most at 
side-seams and least at leg-seams, thus 
making the outside of leg longer than inside, 
and so making it turn inward. Or, it may be 
that the trousers have been properly put 
together, but that in seaming, the leg-seam 
has been kept very tight, and the side very 
slack, which would produce the same re- 
sults. A knowledge of the disease is half 
the cure. 

Another look at the trousers thus sus- 
pended shows that there is a drag at the 
bottom of fly ; the bottom button must not 
be in its proper place and you look and 
find it all right, perhaps, for when it is un- 
loosed, the same catch or drag appears. 
The fault will be found in the tacking, 
which is keeping the bottom of button 
stand from getting into its proper position. 
Again, you may discover that the fly, from 
top to bottom, when buttoned, is quite 
"lumpy," not because it is too long or too 
short, or, because the buttons are not op- 
posite the holes; "ten to one" the fault 
will be in the way the holes are cut. Some 
tailors have the absurd notion that the 
holes should all be cut on the " slant," as 
they call it, instead of straight across. It 
is a very foolish idea, and yet one that is 
pretty widely spread. It is possible, of 
course, for a fly to fit with holes cut so, else 
it would not be done so often, but in our 
experience, we have never found it so. 
The only hole which should be cut in this 
way is the bottom one. It should be cut 
in the same mathematical angle as the oth- 
ers, tliat is, at rigJd angles with the front 
edge. 

Again, you observe that the outer edge 
of fly stands out too much ; if the cloth is 
thick, it will do this naturally, and ought 
to be stitched to make it thin ; but it is 
likely that care has not been exercised to 
keep it short in making up. In order to 
prevent an alteration, if the customer is 



The Great Pantaloojis Systein. 



69 



fastidious, have it ripped and tightened 
with stay tape. 

While holding the trousers in this posi- 
tion you discover the mouth of the (cross) 
pockets open a little, the hearer has not 
heen cut properly, or has been put in too 
wide. This gives great annoyance to the 
wearer, especially if he wears braces, as 
they open up to a great extent under his 
waistcoat, and the evil increases with use. 
After noticing these points, the next thing 
which catches the eye is the buttons, and 
first the amount of sewing in them ; and as 
a rule, these do not bear close inspection, 
and it is interesting to observe the wide- 
spread practice among trouser makers of 
trying how little thread will hold on some 
buttons — for example, the side brace but- 
tons, the top of fly button, or the corner 
fall button. If you pick up a brace but- 
ton from the street, the chances are it is 
one of these three, with side, brace button 
for " choice;" and it is very annoying to 
find an oiScious friend calling upon you 
with a button with your name upon it, 
which he has picked off the street, and 
feeling it to be his duty to give a small lec- 
ture on the injury it is likely to do our 
trade, &c., &c. 

We remember finding fault with a trou- 
sers maker for badly put on buttons. His 
reply was : " If a horse can stand on four 
legs I thing there is nothing to hinder a 
button doing the same." The following 
story is true and happened to a customer 
of our own a few years ago : Being out with 
a friend practicing pistol shooting, by some 
accident his friend's revolver went off, the 
ball struck our customer right on the top fly 
button, driving it, cloth, staying, and shirt, 
into his belly, leaving a little round hole, 
through the trousers, which it cut as clean 
as a knife would have done. The ball was 
extracted and the wound healed up, but it 
soon began to give such annoyance that 
the gentleman's life was despaired of, un- 
til it was discovered that the button, &c., 



must be inside; these were extracted and 
the patient soon recovered, and is now 
alive and well. He keeps the button as a 
memento of his singular escape from in- 
stant death, for assuredly if it had not 
been properly stayed and well sewed it 
would not have prevented the bullet from 
passing right through his body, for it was 
driven in with such force that the lead 
passed through the holes of the button and 
formed two httle teats an eighth of an inch 
long. 

Sew your buttons so that they may save 
life. 

The next thing to be done in the exam- 
ination of the trousers is to see that they 
stand the measures — first at waist ; in 
measuring which, observe that the top is 
not the correct place to measure, but the 
hollow under the top, or at small of waist. 
From the small the tops, if nicely made, 
will be a trifle wider, giving nice degree of 
spring, so as not to press uncomfortably 
on the sides of the wearer. This applies 
only to trousers that rise above the small 
of waist ; those trousers which only reach 
this part should be measured at the very 
top. It is of importance, when measuring 
the waist, to see whether theiwurtZatback 
is larger or smaller than when marked in. 
If the trousers are cut carefully, they will 
always make up to the proper size by keep- 
ing to the usual marks, unless the work- 
man has carelessly put in the pocket bear- 
er with too much spring at side, which 
causes him to reduce the width round the 
waist, by taking a very large scam behind. 
This should be watched against, as it dis- 
turbs the balance of the garment, and is a 
source of much annoyance. 

Next lay the trousers down flat, folding 
them down the center, in front and back, 
and measure the leg-seam ; supposing it is 
found correct, there is a great probability 
that the inlays at bottom are not of equal 
extent. This suggests carelessness in 
some way or other, and if the side-length 



70 



The Great Pantcdoons System. 



ia measured one Tvill be found so much 
longer than the other, just as the inlays 
show. Trousers with this fault will show 
themselves too long in one side, and will 
be anything but elegant in form. Next 
observe if the bottoms are equal in form, 
by placing the one just over the other. To 
insure a nice looking trousers, the bottoms 
should be alike; be careful that one part 
of the bottom is no longer than another. 
It is a sure symptom of incorrect work- 
manship when a bottom has to be cleared 
away at one side to give it the appearance 
of equality in length over the instep. The 
fault does not lie at bottom but in putting 
the parts together. 

In examining the bottom a' very nasty 
mark is seen at the top of the inlay some- 
times. This is apt to be set down as not well 
pressed, and the trousers are sent back to 
have it done, but usually no improvement 
is made on them ; the workman has done 
his best, but he cannot take away the 
mark, nor will pressing ever improve it ; 
the faults lie in the felling of the bottom, 
not in the pressing. The stitches have all 
been drmvn too tight. If the silk is just 
drawn sufficiently close so as to lay upon 
the surface without sinking deeper than 
the iron will flatten it, a good, fine hold of 
the outside may be taken without the 
slightest danger of marking through. 
ThouErh these lessons are meant for 
" Young Beginners," we commend the 
above remarks to the serious attention of 
some who are old enough to have sons at 
the trade. 

We next turn the trousers outside in, 
and examine the inside, which, curiously 
enough, some cutters do n't do, and, nat- 
urally enough, these are the very men who 
ought to do so. We venture to say that 
if a cutter who is not in the habit of look- 
ing into the trousers sent in from the 
workshop before they are sent to the cus- 
tomer, were to do so, he would find every 
thread mark left in all the seams ; he would 
find the old basting threads and dust of 



the shop board sticking in every imagina- 
ble spot from top to bottom of the trou- 
sers, as if no attempt had been m.ade to 
brush them before being turned out, per- 
haps, hadn't even got a shake itself, for 
fear of shaking dirt and dust on his neigh- 
bor beside him. He also misses the chance 
of seeing whether the usual are burned or 
not, a thing he ought to be very careful 
about, as he does not know how soon he 
may need them. We unhesitatingly say 
that the cutter is guilty of very gross neg- 
lect who does not attend to these very 
manifest duties, for too often customers re- 
ceive things in the same condition we have 
described, with the addition of a very live- 
ly element indeed, and never come back 
again. We are bound to say, however, as 
the result of long experience and observa- 
tion, that in the matter of the "lively ele- 
ment" of dirt, trousers makers are, as a 
rule, much more cleanly than coat makers ; 
for one living creature seen on trousers 
there is at least ten found on coats. We 
mention this, not to throw a " bone of con- 
tention " between class and class, but from 
a severe sense of duty compelling us to cry 
out against this creeping, crawling, jump- 
ing evil, so prevalent on our shop boards. 

This completes our inspection of the 
trousers, which may now be sent home, 
where it is to be hoped they will not give 
rise to such reflections as the foregoing. 
This also completes our survey of propor- 
tionate trousers. Our next lesson will 
commence a short series on the changes 
necessary in cutting and making dispro- 
portionate trousers, which will be treated 
of under their separate heads, beginning 
witli "Knock-Knees" and " Bandy-Legs." 

KNOCK-KNEES. 

Just as a Stooping Figure is allowed to 
be the converse of the Extra Erect one, 
and the Low Shouldered man the antith- 
esis of the High, so our friend with the 
knock-knees may be, and is, looked upon 
as a set ofi" to his neighbor, bandy-legs, 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



71 



who, if a kindly dispositioned individual, 
with an eye to the beauties and har- 
monics of nature, roay gladly recognize in 
his friend the complement and part of him- 
self. Be that as it may, we have not con- 
sidered it advisable to treat of both in one 
article, but have left a sufficient space 
between, in order not to confound the one 
with the other. We will therefore not fall 
into the same error, as a certain French 
lecturer did on one occasion, when he so 
completely mixed up the two forms in his 
address as to so confound his auditors, and 
also his editors, that they could not tell 
the " t'other from which!" and perhaps 
there is a fitness in things that they should 
not appear together in print, as it is pos- 
sible not more than two of our readers ever 
saw a bandy-legged man shaking hands 
with a man with knock-knees ! 

Yet we only introduce knock-knees for 
the purpose of showing that the idea which 
exists in the trade of recommending the 
exactly opposite treatment for such cases 
as knock-knees, stooping shoulders, and 
long necks, from that of bandy-legs, extra 
erect forms, and high shoulders, is suffi- 
ciently correct for all practical purposes, 
as to make it quite superfluous for us, to 
enlarge upon the subject in these " easy 
lessons." It is sufficient to say in connec- 
tion with these subjects of inquiry, that no 
matter what the extent of and abnormality 
in form may be ; the first question is not 
" IIow shall i jit it ?" but, " How shall I 
drape the figure, so as to make it appear 
more graceful?" Tight-fitting trousers 
can never look well on a crooked-legged 
man, therefore tight-fitting trousers should 
never be made for such men. With bandy- 
legged men's trousers leave the leg-seams 
straight ; with his friend's, let the side- 
seam be straight, or even round ; thus you 
will please the eye and cultivate the taste, 
and so exert your influence in establishing 
the truth and beauty of art. 

To prevent mistakes, we will state in a 
word or two the requirements of the knock- 



kneed figure, which are, a shorter side and 
longer leg-seam than the proportionate, 
and generally, a smaller and more hol- 
lowed fork and seat. When the feet are 
much turned out from the knees down- 
ward, let a piece be added on at the side- 
seams, according to requirement, the same 
amount being deducted from the inner or 
leg-seam, thus opening the trousers from 
the knee downward. When the feet arc 
only a trifle further apart than usual, this 
course will not be necessary, as in seam- 
ing and pressing — when done with intelli- 
gence — the alteration can easily be ef- 
fected, but it is imperative that the cutter 
gives the proper directions and sees that 
they are carefully carried out. 

Another class of customers, though not 
coming under the designation of dispro- 
portion or deformity, gives a good deal of 
trouble and anxiety to the young cutter, 
in these days of wearing tight-fitting trou- 
sers. We refer to 

THE SMALL-KNEED MAN. 

This feature is often found in men with 
big thighs and big calves, and it must be 
admitted that there is sometimes a little 
bother in pleasing either the customer or 
ourselves, in cutting such a one's trousers. 
They are very apt to feel the trousers 
tight on the thigh and calf; and when they 
bend their knee there is a catch or drag 
from knee to calf, which draws the trou- 
sers up from the foot, and being tight at 
that part does not allow them to fall down 
again when the leg is straightened ; so 
there the loose stuff about the knee re- 
mains, and it is vci-y unsightly indeed. AVe 
shall try and help our young friends to get 
rid of it. 

We will suppose you know the peculiar- 
ities of your customer, from both observa- 
tion and measurement, and have drafted 
out your trousers, with these provisions — 
the knee well hollowed in the undersides, 
and a trifling round added on both sides 
for the calves. Let the hollow of the knee 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



be Tvell stretched out before basting up the 
trousers, and at the same time have the 
round on calves 'well pressed back ; then 
baste your trousers together, holding on 
the knee of xipper sides over the hollow of 
undersides, and hold on the i»zt?cr sides at 
calf to the uppersides, and you will find 
that you have provided the form necessary 
for the leg to go into, be it in trousers or 
pantaloons. 

Again, there arc men "whose calves are 
very prominent at the outside of leg and 
flat on the inside. This is a peculiarity to 
be met with very frequently in tailors' 
legs, for, just as their " seats" are largely 
developed by constant contact with the 
board, so the outer side of their calves be- 
come prominent from the same cause. Let 
a straight edge be laid on the leg from 
thigh to calf, and it will be seen to what 
extent the knee is in from it, simply be- 
cause the calf is so much to the outside. 
This peculiarity requires that a corre- 
sponding round be put upon the side-seam 
at this part, and hold on slightly when the 
trousers are put together. This simple 
provision will form a suitable receptacle 
for the leg, and will largely prevent the 
excessive bulging at knee which tailors 
tvouscis invariahhj display. 

BANDY-LEGS. 

This is not by any means a rare form of 
disproportion to be met with in the tailor's 
experience and observation of the "human 
form divine," or rather of that portion of 
it Avhich he clothes with the garment sur- 
named "inexpressibles." Few indeed are 
the limbs we see of such fair proportions 
as to beget in the cutter's mind any feel- 
ings of gratitude or enthusiasm, for alas ! 
'tis said — in the matter of "leg," we, Brit- 
ons, are not so richly endowed as our fa- 
thers were — that fewer of our sons could 
don the " smalls " or sport a kilt in these 
latter days than in days of yore. It may 
be sheer ill-nature of these old folks to tell 
us that we have given up wearing breeches 



and silk stockings, and buckles on our 
shoes, because we have not got legs to put 
in them, but that it is the case that we see 
a tremendous number of spindle shanks 
and corkscrews, walking about in very 
tight trousers is too stern a truth to admit 
of a denial. It is related by the late Ar- 
temus Ward — that prince among humor- 
ists — that he amused himself occasionally 
in Belgravia and Rotten Row, by sticking 
his pen-knife into the legs of powdered, 
pompous footmen with whom he makes be- 
lieve to consert, and spilling — not the 
blood — but the sawdust with which their 
stockings were stuffed. Of course he was 
only joking, but it is within the range of 
probability that a want of " leg " has led 
to the almost entire want of breeches 
wearers, and let us add, of breeches mak- 
ers, just as an old cutter of bygone days 
aflirmed that cording and binding were in- 
troduced into our trade, simply from the 
fact that so few men knew how to stitch 
an edge. 

Without going so far as to afljrm, on a 
similar principle, that because tailors have 
given up the making of breeches and kilts 
of late years — that we, as a nation, are 
suffering from badly shaped and attenuated 
legs, we will confess our belief that, if the 
present fashion of wearing tight-fitting 
trousers were continued long enough, 
a race of men with better legs would be 
seen by our successors, than we, unfortu- 
nately, are accustomed, not only to be- 
hold, but to cut for ; nor would this be dif- 
ficult of attainment if a leaf were taken 
out of the book which Prize Cattle breed- 
ers are acquainted with, and which they 
sometimes illustrate by the splendid spec- 
imens at such exhibitions as Smithfield 
and Birmingham. We venture to assert 
that careful training and proper education 
would, in a few years, make a wonderful 
change in the physique of the whole na- 
tion — as for example, a strict military 
training such as is enjoyed by our sol- 
diers — who are not so perfect as they 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



73 



would be, if their training commenced in 
childhood — but a truce to philosophy — 'tis 
bandy legs and how to cut for them that 
we are to write about, and not to set about 
flaunting our theories before our readers, 
even on such an interesting theme as this. 

Though there are bandy-legs of every 
degree of divergence from the perfect per- 
pendicular form, we call proportion, we 
will strike at once at the extreme of the 
evil, and call attention to a pair of legs, 
so wide as to suggest the proverbial wheel- 
barrow passing between them: or, in more 
elegant phrase, so wide as to form a curvi- 
lineal oval aperture from base to apex. 

It is foreign to our purpose to enter into 
the procuring cause of this special deform- 
ity, whether from unskilful nursing, from 
accident, or natural causes, it is sufficient 
to observe the extent of the evil apart from 
its nature, for unless in some complication 
of deformity, all bandy-legged figures have 
the same peculiarities of feature, differing 
only in the degree of divergence from the 
normal. These peculiarities are : very 
open fork, the top of legs being finished 
ofi" in a complete curve, feet usually very 
close, calves and knees full to the outside 
and from knee upward, also round till the 
thigh is reached, which is hollow and flat 
opposite the fork. If a pair of proportion- 
ately cut trousers is put upon such a figure 
the chief defects will be found at fork in 
both front and back, and if the joining seam 
were ripped eight inches upward from leg- 
seam at both front and back, the required 
alteration will be disclosed. It will be 
found that the fork requires the same de- 
viation for the bandy-legged figure, as is 
necessary for riding trousers, that is, both 
larger and straighter in its curves ; and 
were it not that the feet are so close to- 
gether, the very best system to cut by, for 
such figures, would be that for riding trou- 
sers, for the requirement is just the same 



till the knee is reached. From that point 
the change begins, and it is easy to give 
the necessary inclination to the pattern, or 
cloth, to follow the curve described, by 
adding on to the leg-seam from nothing at 
knee to any given quantity at bottom, tak- 
ing off a corresponding amount from the 
side-seam, or by taking a V out of the leg- 
seam at knee to bring the bottom inward, 
and thus providing for the observed form 
or position of legs the very best results 
may be obtained. Let us state in a word 
the distinctive requirements of the " ban- 
dy-legged figure," for the special benefit 
of our more inexperienced readers. He 
requires that the leg-seam be longer from 
fork to knee and shorter from knee to 
bottom than the straight-legged man ; 
also that the side-seam be sJiorter from top 
to knee and longer from knee to bottom, 
than the same highly favored individual. 
Of course we cannot lay down any definite 
quantity for such deviation, but the re- 
mark holds good in every degree of abnor- 
mality, the extent of which it is the cut- 
ter's province to discover. 

In very slight cases of " openness " at 
knee, it can be provided for by simply giv- 
ing less curve, and a little more size to 
the fork, and in seaming by keeping the 
leg-seam easy to knee and tight below, and 
the side-seam tigltt to knee and easy below, 
with judicious use of the iron. Indeed it 
is only in those extreme cases we have 
been speaking of that any change is nec- 
essary, except at fork. For such, we have 
shown the way to our young friends to deal 
with them, and trust they may find that it 
is not a difficult one to walk in. 

Of course it is unnecessary to mention 
that the above remarks on the legs of the 
trousers are applicable only when cutting 
tight trousers, for bandy-legs — a style of 
garment such figures should never wear. 



74 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



ALTERATIONS. 

TROUSERS. 

In the pages of Messrs. Ministers' pub- 
lication, for February, 1868, tlierc appears 
a communication from their ingenious cor- 
respondent, Mr. J. Anderson, explaining 
his idea of the deviation required in the 
present form and principle of cutting trou- 
sers, the plan of construction he publishes 
to illustrate his idea, being to have half of 
the waist-band, -which is intended to be 
sewn on the top-sides cut separate. Cut 
on to this band is the bearer, the pocket 
facing, and also a portion of the seat-piece 
of the under-sides, the remaining portion 
of the seat-piece being sewn into its posi- 
tion in the ordinary way. The inventor 
considers this an improved plan of cutting 
trousers. The idea, if worked out 'in the 
hands of an experienced practical cutter, 
is good, but in the hands of a novice might 
lead to failure in extreme cases, there be- 
ing a great difference in the form of waist- 
band required for very stout and extreme- 
ly small-waisted figures. "We entirely 
agree with Mr. Anderson's opinion that 
room for improvement in trouser cutting 
exists. 

When trousers seem to be wide, take 
them in on the side and seat-seams. When 
not high enough in the body, put in a piece 
at the top of the leg-seam, say two inches 
wide at top, running it down the leg-seam, 
say four or five inches, and letting down 
the trousers at the bottom. When the 
side-seam seem full of creases, the person 
is what may bo called bellied, therefore 
shortens it at the top of the side-seam. 
When trousers do not come up in the fork, 
it must proceed from their being cut too 
high upon the body, and from the customer 
wearing his braces a certain length. Of 
course if his braces are not pulled up, 
there is no remedy but to cut them for the 
bight at the top; and, if not coming up 
high enough upon the body, put in a piece 



four inches and a half down the leg-seam, 
two and a half inches at the top, and run it 
to correspond with the seat-seam, and let 
them down at the bottom for what they 
were raised up at the top. If trousers 
have not stride enough to fancy, make the 
front narrower at the top of the fold-seam. 
When the side-seam comes further in front 
upon the right side-seam at the bottom 
more than the left, rip out the leg-seam 
and let down the forepart one inch ; you 
must either piece the top-side to make up 
for what you lowered it, or take the one 
inch of the back-part running it up the 
seat, and at the top of the seat coming to 
the side-seam. Another method is to rip 
out the side-seam and bring up the fore 
part, and let it down at the bottom of the 
side. When trousers catch at the knee it 
is because they are too much hollowed at 
the bottom of the seat-seam ; let it out, or 
it may be too long in the seat ; examine 
them. When there is too much cloth in- 
side of the ankle, lift them up at the top of 
the sides by taking off the bands, and cut- 
ting from the top of the forepart ; or if 
without bands, lower the brace buttons at 
the top of the side-seam. When trousers 
catch at the calf of the leg take a little from 
off the top of the seat. When there is too 
much cloth under the thigh at the top of 
the leg-seam, the seat ought to be cut more 
upon the bias and shorter, and more hol- 
lowed out upon the back-part, at the top 
of the side-seam or point of the buttock, 
and it may be the scat is too high, perhaps 
the customer being a little bellied, and is 
too high at the side. When trousers catch 
on the front of the thigh in walking, let 
them out two inches at the top of the side, 
and take them in at the top of the seat- 
seam. 

BREECHES. 

When breeches are wanted so that the 
buttons may be more in front upon the 
knee, take a piece from off the width at 
the top of the fold and let them out upon 
the top of the side-seam, and spring them 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



75 



out at the top of the side as it makes the 
seat-seam on the bias ; in other respects 
the same alterations as trousers, as to the 
catching at any of the parts described. 

GAITERS. 

When there is a crease running from the 
top of the tongue to the top of the calf 



upon a slanting position ; take off one inch 
behind at the calf, running it gently down, 
and put the buttons as much forward when 
the seam of the tongue runs to the little 
toe ; in place of the large one, take three- 
quarters of an inch of the inside part of 
the tongue. — From Pell's '^ Hand Book " 
to the Cutting Room. 




THE 



itmi Mt«ttlttiii 




PA.IIT FOTJI^TH. 



MEASURING FOR TROUSERS. 

It is of the greatest importance for the 
cutter not only to take an accurate meas- 
urement of his customer, but also a care- 
ful and accurate observation of his form, 
his mode of standing, and his gait in walk- 
ing. This will be admitted if vre but re- 
flect for a moment on the fact that meas- 
urement can only give size; it does not 
and cannot give the locality where the 
principal bulk is placed ; or, in other words, 
it does not give form. A man may meas- 
ure 19| inches waist and 21 seat, and ap- 
pear very small in front, simply because 
his form is flat on the abdomen and full on 
the hips and seat. His mode of standing 
will reveal this at once, as it gives him the 
appearance of bending forward from the 
seat upward, and will suggest immediately 
that the relative length of front must be 
diminished in order to fit his figure. Again, 
if a man is known to walk very erect, it is 
so much knowledge gained as to the man- 
ner of cutting his trousers, in order to 
avoid the superfluous cloth that is so often 
seen under the thighs of such mens' gar- 
ments. 

In taking the sizes of the body at waist, 
hips, and seat, the measure should be 
drawn moderately close, sufficiently so as 
not to confine the figure in any way, in or- 
der that the cutter will know exactly the 
amount of allowance to make over and 
above the actual size. The measures 
should be taken as represented on Plate I, 



Figure I, and always in the same order. 

A A, the waist, 15 inches ; B B, the 
hips, 17 J inches; C C, the seat, 18 inches; 
T T, the thigh, 12 inches ; K K, the knee, 
8i inches ; F F, the bottom, 8J inches ; 2 
F, the leg, 32 inches ; I F, the side, 43 
inches. Entered in the order book, they 
will stand thus : — 

15, 17i, 18, 12, 81, Si, 32, 43. 

These measures are all entered in halves, 
with the exception of the lengths, because 
the full widths of body are sometimes 
so near the lengths that confusion is apt 
to arise when glancing at the book or en- 
try containing them, unless some such plan 
is adopted regarding them. 

We here repeat a sentence or two on the 
maiuier of measuring from our " Easy 
Lessons for Young Beginners." " Taking 
our stand in front of the customer's left 
leg, we begin with the top, taking waist, 
hips, and seat ; gradually getting lower as 
we bend the knee, we take width of thigh, 
knee, and bottom ; without needing to rise 
or change our position, we pass our hand 
behind the left leg, and place the end of 
the tape at fork, and take length of leg- 
seam, carefully touching the knee with the 
left hand, then dropping the right to take 
its place, we continue with left to the 
heel. Without change of position, the 
side-length is also obtained, which com- 
pletes the operation, for we take no ad- 
measurement, nor do we measure the un- 
dress side." 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



77 



Taking the measures in this way in- 
volves no waste of time changing our posi- 
tion, and gives no idea of " fussiness " to 
our customers, some of whom are peculiar- 
ly sensitive while undergoing the opera- 
tion. The cutter should always be careful 
to have his inch tape, hands and nails 
scrupulously clean, and avoid pressing 
against the customer with his hands when 
in the act of measuring. 

THE BASIS OF THE SYSTEM. 

DIAGRAM I. 

This diagram is the same as has already 
appeared in The Tailor and Cutter, and 
shows the system, in its naked simplicity, 
as the mere skeleton or framework of the 
whole. It is drawn for a perfectly pro- 
portionate, or ideal figure, which is almost 
the same thing — a perfectly proportionate 
figure being a very rare sight, indeed, as 
rare as the realization of our beau ideal of 
anything that is true, beautiful, and good. 
Still, as the idea of a proportionate figure 
is sufficiently well understood in our trade 
as to mean much the same thing to all, our 
language and illustration will be under- 
stood as bearing this felation to each other. 
The garment, therefore, which our diagram 
will produce is one that will fit the propor- 
tionate figure without any superabundance 
of material anywhere. Any one who will 
put on a pair of trousers cut literally to 
this system, will find he has all the cloth 
available for his body distributed in such 
a way that there will not be more of it at 
one place than is found at another. Know- 
ing this, we were content to allow the sys- 
tem to appear just as it did without enter- 
ing into minuter details about it. 

The wisdom of this course has been fully 
proved by the numerous letters received in 
commendation of the system, the writers 
of which, no doubt, saw they had simply 
got a safe and accurate arrangement for 
producing the form of the trousers, and 
used their own judgment and experience 



to suggest the amount of ease to be given 
at this, that, and the other place ; while 
those cutters who have tried its working, 
and failed in their efforts, have proved noth- 
ing further than that they blindly worked 
it out without expending an idea for them- 
selves as to whether it would be applicable 
in any case, however remote from its pro- 
portionate, close-fitting form. 

These remarks would be simply gratu- 
itous and unnecessary, but for the manner 
in which this system has been spoken of 
since it first saw the light ; but they are 
made by way of an explanatory introduc- 
tion to our first diagram, and in the hope 
that they will make clearer for the young 
aspirant to professional skill, that path he 
must tread if he would pass through the 
"wicket gate," "Belfast" has opened into 
the fair domain of trouser cutting ! 

THE MODE OF DRAFTING. 

A B represents the edge of cloth with 
border ; from B measure the length of leg- 
seam to 1, which is 32 inches ; mark in 
from 1 to 2, one-sixth of seat, 3 inches; 
mark in from B to 3, one and a half 
inches ; draw a line from 3 through 2 to 4. 
This is the construction line on which de- 
pends the character of the trousers. The 
quantity placed on each side of this line 
determines whether the style is "open" 
or " close." For example, the diagram is 
drawn to give a moderately eZosc-fitting 
trousers ; if an open trousers were wanted, 
it would be necessary to place this point 3 
further //-oni the line B A, or side-seam, 
say at 3 inches, instead of IJ. This extra 
one and a half inches would, therefore, go 
to outside of leg, making the side-seam 
shorter, as open cut trousers do ; and hav- 
ing been taken from the inside, or leg- 
seam, it makes the stride opener, by giving 
it additional length in relation to the side- 
seam. This will be better understood by 
our young readers when we come to apply 
the system to breeches and riding trousers. 



78 



The Great Fantaloons System. 



A% this line is called the construction 
line, observe, that by it alone are all the 
other lines and points obtained, each and 
all of them being subservient to, and dic- 
tated by, it. 

From 2 square to 5, half the seat-meas- 
ure, 9 inches ; from 2 to 4, one inch more 
than half-seat, 10 inches. (In sizes above 
19 J seat, one half seat only will be sufficient 
to find point 4, or hight of small of waist ; 
but careful measurement, when the cutter 
has the necessary experience, is the best 
guide in this case ; for the inexperienced, 
however, it is better to walk by a rule such 
as we have laid down.) From 4 square to 
8 for front of fly, oue-third of waist meas- 
ure, 5 inches; the same for all sizes; 
square the knee one-third, 6 inches ; 
square the bottom from 3 to 7, also one- 
third, G inches ; these two latter quantities 
are, of course, variable, according to the 
style of trousers wanted. A good, safe 
standard for the bottom, for medium sizes, 
would be to make it one and a half inches 
more than one-third seat from the side- 
line B ; and for larger sizes, the actual 
size of bottom, or half an inch less, to ad- 
mit of the undersides being sprung a trifle, 
will be found a simple guide to the forma- 
tion of this part of the trousers. Draw 
back the fork point to S one half inch, and 
form the leg-seam ; form the fly-line by a 
nice, easy curve from 8 to S : for this pui*- 
pose we use a pasteboard fly-pattern, lay- 
ing it down with the fork point touching 
S, and the top touching 8. 

The form of the fly, or fall-seam, is of 
very great importance in the fit and com- 
fort of a pair of trousers. 

It will readily be admitted that one form 
of curve will not suit every form and shape 
we meet with, and that our customers do 
present very wide diS"erence3 in conforma- 
tion at this particular locality, cannot 
reasonably admit of a doubt. It is, there- 
fore, incumbent upon every cutter who 
wishes to excel in this branch of his art, 



carefully to observe and note peculiarity 
of form in his customer, that he may be 
able to meet it by a corresponding pecul- 
iarity of curve in the line of the front, and 
preserve thereby, it may be, the perfect 
outline of an otherwise well-cut garment. 
And we remark, that we are not to be held 
as encouraging the idea we now seek to 
condemn, by stating, that we ourselves use 
a pattern to form this particular curve ; 
for we are careful to observe, when cut- 
ting, that the curve of our pattern corre- 
sponds with the supposed requirement of 
the figure we have to deal with. For those 
who seek a rule to find this curve, we di- 
rect that one-sixth of the seat, 3 inches, be 
marked back from 5 to P, and a straight 
line drawn from P to 8 ; at the hollowest 
part of fork mark from P, according to 
the degree of hollowness required, say from 
1|- to 2 inches, and complete the line 
thereby. The curve on our diagram gives 
one and a quarter inches, the maximum of 
hollowness we would advise. Mark half the 
waist-measure and seams from 8 to W, 7-| 
inches, raise the tops to the hight desired, 
being one inch above the small of waist in 
this case, and complete the upper sides, as 
per diagram. Taking out the dress will 
be treated on separately. 

THE UNDERSIDES. 

Place the upper sides upon the cloth, so 
as to admit of sufficient spring at hips and 
bottoms. Take the square and place the 
angle or corner of it at 9, with one arm 
intersecting point 4, at one-sixth of the 
seat-measure, 3 inches the same for all 
sizes ; the other arm intersecting the seat 
point 5 ; this arm gives the seat-line, which 
is completed by springing it out a little 
above 9, and hollowing it a trifle below the 
point where the fly line touches it, contin- 
uing through 5 to F, which is the half-inch 
beyond 5 which was taken ofi" at S, on the 
fork point of upper sides. 

Raise the top of undersides about one- 
fourth of seat, 4^ inches above the small 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



79 



of -waist, unless the fronts are extra high, 
when the same proportionate addition must 
be made. Make up the width at waist to 
R, and finish the upper part by running 
the sides into each other at 1 ; complete 
the fork by an easy curve from F ; com- 
plete the bottoms by adding from half to 
one inch spring at 7, and make up the 
width of bottom at side-seam. 

This completes the system, so far as is 
necessary for fitting a proportionate figure 
with a garment containing the minimum of 
superfluous material ; yet material so ar- 
ranged as to admit of such ease and com- 
fort being obtained by the wearer, as the 
large majority of the customers in our bet- 
ter-class trades would express themselves 
satisfied with. And, after all, it is what 
pleases our customers which we should seek 
to make the standard of excellence, and to 
which all our efforts should be directed to 
attain to, instead of those hypothetical 
formulas, and dilettanti problems, which 
are only a delusion and a snare, wiling 
away men's minds from the old paths of 
simplicity and truth, to browse on the 
scantier herbage of science, " falsely so- 
called." 

Some cutters have found that this sys- 
tem has not given enough ease in the fork 
and seat for many of their customers, and 
have been inclined to think the fault is in- 
herent in it. Undoubtedly, it will produce 
a garment very close in the size at these 
particular parts, and many customers there 
are who have an insuperable objection to 
feel the least pressure of their trousers 
upon them even when sitting : for such it 
will be necessary to make the requisite de- 
viation from this system to give greater 
ease. Drafting the trousers one inch a 
side larger than the measure is a simple 
thing to do, and would be quite sufficient, 
in most instances, to meet the want ; yet, 
strange it is, such advice is very seldom ac- 
cepted as worthy of being followed, be- 
cause, forsooth, it is not according to sci- 
ence, nor something to be done with square 



or rule, only a piece of old-fashioned ad- 
vice unworthy of the advanced and en- 
lightened views of the nineteenth century, 
&c. 

Well, it may be so, but we arc old-fash- 
ioned enough to believe that it is impossi- 
ble to produce either a comfortable or a 
stylish garment of any kind by cutting it 
too close to the measure ; and we are ex- 
perienced enough to know that the proper 
way to infuse ease, and hence elegance 
into a garment, is to draft it easy, and not 
simply leave an extra width here and ad- 
ditional length there, and stretch this and 
pull that, until we have it right. No ; 
ease and elegance are infused, not added, 
and, if this truth were properly under- 
stood, there would be more excellence of 
fit and style observable in our customers' 
garments than is observable at present ; 
for it is a fact that when more case is 
wanted in our coats or trousers, we are too 
apt to give it by clearing the scye, and 
giving the usual at side body, or by giving 
additional round on the seat or More width 
on the sides. The effect of such altera- 
tions is simply more width ; not, generally 
speaking, more of that graceful ease and 
comfort a well-dressed gentleman desires. 

Applying these remai-ks to our trousers' 
system may be considered somewhat enig- 
matical and confusing, at least to some of 
our less experienced readers, we have, 
therefore prepared diagram 2 to show how 
we apply the system, in order to obtain 
more cloth for the seat and fork when de- 
sirable, and it must be conceded that, to 
very many customers, it has its advan- 
tages. 

DIAGRAM II. 

The upper-sides are formed in precisely 
the same way as diagram 1, with the excep- 
tion of the fork point, which is stationed 
at point 5, or half seat-measure from 2. 
The change is thus all made on the under- 
sides. In order to find the seat line, mark 
on the waist line at A one-fourth of seat- 



80 



The Great Pantaloons Systein. 



measure, 4| inches; from -4 draw a line 
from 5, the fork point through A; give 
three-fourths of an inch to F from 5, and 
hollow out the seat as per diagram! The 
under-sides must be sprung out at side- 
seam as if the system were worked out in 
the original way, and the extra width re- 
duced by taking a V out as indicated. It 
would manifestly be improper to reduce 
the angle of the seat line, and at the same 
time reduce the angle at side; it is, there- 
fore, incumbent on the cutter to attend to 
this apparently trifling detail if he would 
attain to good results. 

The foregoing remarks complete the in- 
structions necessary for cutting trousers 
for proportionate figures. First, for trou- 
sers close to the figure ; and second, for 
trousers larger and easier in the fork and 
seat. Our next diagram is for corpulent 
men's trousers. 

DIAGRAM I. 

TROUSERS FOR A CORPULENT 
FIGURE. 

Measures.— 24, 25, 24, 15i, lOJ, 8f, 
30, 44. 

A great diversity of opinion exists in 
the minds of even the most intelligent and 
experienced cutters in the trade as to what 
is the correct method for cutting trousers 
for very large figures. Any one old 
enough to remember the celebrated con- 
troversy which raged upon this subject, 
some twelve or fourteen years ago, in the 
pages of Minister & Gazette of Fashion, 
between the champions, Tapson and Tur- 
ley, will easily call to mind the wondrous- 
ly different /or?;!s which each advanced as 
the correct thing in cutting such trousers, 
and with equal skill in argument. And 
they will also remember that as the war 
raged, and waxed more earnest as time 
went on, each of the duelists was more 
than ever convinced that lie was right and 
the other wrong ; whereas, there would 
have been no manner of doubt in the world 



that a trousers cut by each on their own 
principles, for the same customer, would 
have fitted almost, if not altogether, equal- 
ly well, and for the simple reason that 
there was nothing really antagonistic in 
either principle to the other if they were 
only properly understood. 

Now, it will at first be considered an er- 
roneous thing for us to apply the same 
rule in this instance as we have done in 
the proportionate case ; viz., to give the 
third of waist to find the front of fly. 
Would it not, some would ask, have the effect 
of diminishing the size of fork ? We say, 
No ; for as the construction line occupies a 
different position in this garment from what 
it does in the proportionate trousers, the 
diminution in size of fork is only apparent, 
not real. The legs being made so much 
"opener" prevents that contraction of 
fork which would inevitably ensue if we 
would add 1 J or two inches in front of our 
proportionate diagram in order to provide 
for additional size at waist in it. Thus, it 
will be seen that the " closeness " or " open- 
ness " of a trousers, or, in other words, 
the greater or less quantity which is given 
outside this construction line has a great 
deal to do with the comfort and ease of 
the upper part of the garment, and that a 
change in the one, if not in harmony with 
the requirements of the other, will bear 
very unsatisfactory fruit indeed. 

We, of course, forbear offering any crit- 
ical remai'ks on the methods advanced by 
other authors for the production of this or 
any other class of disproportion, nor do we 
compare our own and their systems to- 
gether to show wherein we agree or dis- 
agree with each other. The title of our 
work disavows all such pedantry, and we 
hold it to be an unwarrantable use of the 
pages of any work professing to be of an 
educational nature to make it the vehicle 
of an attack upon the views and teachings 
of others, however puerile and paltry that 
teaching may be. There is scope enough 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



81 



in our trade journals for the correction of 
error and the dissemination of truth ; 
through them alone, •with a responsible ed- 
itor at their head, should reviews and crit- 
icisms of others' woi-ks and opinions be 
made. Works of a more standard char- 
acter should not be marred by such dis- 
plays of bad taste. 

With this protest against an increasing 
evil among the authors of works on cut- 
ting, both here, and in America, we pass 
to describe diagram 1. 

This diagram is drawn in the " easy " 
style, the same as diagram 2, for those cus- 
tomers who like a tighter, closer fit than 
this would give, it will be necessary to ad- 
here to instructions for diagram 1, cutting 
either to actual measure taken or allowing 
a trifle additional. In cither case, a 
change must be made in the construction 
line. 

We do not presume to lay down any 
definite rule as the exact position this line 
should bear in relation to the size of seat. 
This diagram is drawn with the construc- 
tion line parallel with the side-seam ; that is, 
3 is placed at the same distance from B as 2 
is from 1, being one-sixth of the seat- 
measuro, 4 inches ; the immediate efi"ect of 
this being to throw 2 inches more cloth to 
the outside of leg than if drawn in the pro- 
portionate manner. The advantages de- 
rived from this simple deviation are open- 
ness of leg-seam and fork, greater length 
from top of fly to knee, preventing those 
unsightly folds which run diagonally on 
stout men's trousers from fly to bottom of 
knee, greater seat angle, giving more 
length from fork to knee, and preventing 
the trousers from rising from the foot when 
the wearer is seated. 

Another little, yet important, change is 
necessary in cutting trousei'S for stout men, 
that is, to give additional hight to the 
fronts. The reason for this is that such a 
surface as a stout man's belly presents re- 
quires something more than width to cover 



it ; length must also be given. The degree 
of length may be taken by actual meas- 
urement from the fork upward. Where 
this is not done, a good rule is to give half 
the amount of disproportion in the size of 
■waist. For example : the proportionate 
waist measure for 24 seat is 20 inches, the 
half of that is 2 inches, which we have 
added to the top at front, gradually lower- 
ing to nothing at the side-seam. 

The measures we have given of the width 
of legs is almost the extreme of tightness 
for a man of this size. Wo have done so 
purposely to show that there is no fear of 
deranging the fit at knee by cutting them 
even tighter than our measures, for if that 
were necessary, there would be no harm in 
further hollowing the knee at either side 
or leg-seam. We might have chosen dif- 
ferent measures of both length and width, 
and so produced a smarter looking diagram 
had it been our intention to recommend 
our instructions by a graceful, pleasing 
draft. We have chosen rather to produce 
the very thing which has often puzzled 
young, inexperienced cutters when they 
have met with such customers whose trou- 
sers, when drafted out, have appeared to 
their minds so unshapely and distorted 
that they have hesitated and trembled for 
the results before they cut them. Grace- 
ful curves and beautiful outlines on a pat- 
tern are very pleasing to the eye, but un- 
less they are the reflex of the contour of 
figure they are designed for, they wont 
help the fit in the smallest degree ; and so 
with our diagram, if its lines and curves 
were as symmetrically correct as the 
Ruskin of tailors could desire, it would 
have shown no fitness for such a figure as 
our measures indicate, and would, there- 
fore, be artistically false. Fitness in men 
or things, for the place or occupation as- 
signed them, is the true criterion of the 
wisdom of their selection to occupy them. 
By this test alone must our remarks and 
illustrations be adjudicated on. 

It will be observed that the diagram is 



82 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



drawn as if for material with a border at 
side with a perfectly straight line for side- 
seam. The under-sides are hollowed about 
one inch and a half at knee in order to re- 
duce the size to the measure taken. K, at 
leg-seam, is placed at one-third seat, 8 
inches from the construction line, and G is 
placed at one-fourth seat-measure, G inches 
from 3, with a little spring added on under- 
sides. 

As a rule for those who wish to be guided 
by some definite quantity, in such matters 
as the width at knee and bottom, we beg 
to call attention to the dotted line from 
on line 2 5 to 3 at bottom. is one-third 
seat from 5, and is the same distance from 
1 at side, being exactly in the center ]of 
leg. The width of thigh, knee, and bot- 
tom, ivhen the legs are straiglit and well- 
formed, may be placed equally on either 
side of this line. 

DIAGRAM II. 
ON TAKING OUT THE DRESS. 

The method illustrated on this diagram 
is generally believed to be the simplest, 
the most direct, and the most effective, in 
use for producing the undress side of trou- 
sers. All trousers systems with which we 
are acquainted are formed to produce the 
fork for the " dress " side in the first in- 
stance, and then reducing the undress side 
by some such form or manner as our dia- 
gram shows. This system also proceeds 
on the same basis, although it would have 
been as easy to have given it with the 
sharp curve for both sides that we usually 
give for the undress side, and then have 
added something to give the necessary 
ease for the larger or dress side. As there 
is nothing new or original in the system 
itself, we have preferred following in the 
wake of others in this matter also, con- 
tenting ourselves with the simple sugges- 
tion these remarks afford to our young 
readers, who are too apt to suppose they 
are providing a large amount of ease for 
the dress side when they take out a large 



quantity from the undress. It would some- 
times, nay, always, be safer in such cases 
to add on a trifle to the dress side at the 
point of fork and in the curve, which would 
prevent the wearer having the appearance 
of being much larger on one side than the 
other, and would also admit of the fly run- 
ning straight up the center, instead of in a 
diagonal direction, as is too frequently 
seen in some forms of trousers. 

As already remarked, we do not meas- 
ure the undress side, as many cutters do, 
for the simple reason that we believe it is 
scarcely possible to obtain a measure that 
would be of any service in determining the 
exact amount necessary to be taken out in 
order to meet the requirements of the fig- 
ure. Of course it would be diflerent if we 
were measuring the nude figure, or even 
over a pair of thin drawers, in which were 
stuffed nothing more than a linen shirt ; 
but T/hen we consider the wearer clad in 
woolen drawers, which possibly do not fit, 
and with his under clothing unequally dis- 
tributed on either side, it becomes a very 
hard problem to discover what the relative 
sizes of his thighs are; we, therefore, dis- 
card the measure, and trust to experience 
alone as a guide. 

Diagrams 2 and 3 are the same as ap- 
pear in our "Easy Lessons," already men- 
tioned, as appearing in the columns of The 
Tailor and Cutter. In diagram 2, a mark 
is made as at A; the amount of dress tak- 
en out, say one inch, is marked back from 
1 to 2 ; A is then made a pivot by placing 
one finger on it, and drawing back 1 to 2 ; 
the object of this is to secure the same 
length for both sides. It will thus be seen 
that the fork point of undress side rises 
above the line 1, 3 ; then hollow sharply, 
but gradually, as in diagram, two-thirds of 
the hight up. Care must be taken that 
no too sudden or angular curve be given 
to this part, as it gives rise to a nasty 
catch when the fly is buttoned. 

Diagram 3 shows another method of pro- 



The Great Pantaloons Sjjstem. 



83 



vicling for tlie undress side of trousers. 
There is nothing taken off the fork at leg- 
seam ; but it is hollowed in front half an 
inch as dotted lines, then an inch is taken 
off the under-sides from point downward, 
about six inches, the seat being hollowed 
half an inch, the same as the front. In 
this case, the leg-seam of undress side will 
pass one inch hchind the other when the 
trousers are being joined; this gives thin- 
ness at the junction of the seams, and is 
the only advantage this method possesses 
over the other, both being equally effective 
in operation. 

DIAGRAM I. 

RIDING TROUSERS. 

This system, as illustrated on Plate 1, 
would not be very suitable as a means of 
producing trousers for riding purposes, be- 
ing too straight or close in the legs, the 
fork too hollow, and a trifle too small ; 
hence a change is necessary to meet the 
different requirements from those of walk- 
ing trousers. The first requirement in 
riding trousers is ease in mounting into 
the saddle ; this is given by opening the 
legs, and enlarging the fork and seat ; the 
second is, ease in the saddle — a require- 
ment met by an enlarged fork, cut straight- 
er in front than for walking trousers, and 
by an increased angle from seat to knee ; 
and third, that the trousers do not rise 
from the foot when not strapped down ; 
this being involved in the first two qual- 
ities, is also provided for in the system. 

The construction line is placed in the 
position it occupied on the diagram for 
corpulent figures ; that is, parallel with the 
side-seam. This is done in order to open 
the legs to give more stride ; from 2 to 5 
is half an inch more than half seat, 9| 
inches ; 4 to 8 is the same as before, one- 
third waist-measure, 5 inches ; the fork is 
much less hollowed than the walking trou- 
sers fork, in order to give more ease when 
the wearer is seated. For the seat angle 



mark at A one-fourth seat, 4^ inches, 
draw a line through A from F, which is 
one inch from 5, hollowing the seam very 
slightly, as per diagram. 

At first sight, some may think we are 
giving the same length of seat in this as 
we do in ordinary trousers, but this is not 
the case, as another look at the diagram 
will show ; for with the additional size 
given at fork, we have also given addi- 
tional length both to the seat and knee an- 
gles ; hence it is unnecessary to alter the 
position of the seat line in its relation to 
the upper part of the body. The width at 
knee and bottom may be arranged in the 
same way as for stout men's trousers, Plate 
2. In this diagram the actual knee meas- 
ure is given from side-seam, 8 inches, and 
one half inch less than measure for bottom 
of leg-seam, also 8 inches, the width being 
made up by one inch spring at bottom of 
under-sides. When the thighs are wanted 
tighter than our diagram shows, the sides 
may be hollowed accordingly from knee to 
hips. 

In making up these trousers — as indeed 
all trousers — it is imperative that they be 
carefully put together. We here produce 
a sentence or two from Mr. Humphreys' 
elaborate treatise on " Trouser Cutting," 
bearing upon this point : " The workman 
must be informed of any peculiarity in the 
shape of the customer's leg, that he may 
be better able to stretch or shrink the trou- 
sers to suit the particular form. The un- 
der-sides must be stretched opposite to the 
knee, the top kept easy, and a little full- 
ness allowed on the under-side opposite to 
the calf, but care must be taken that the 
fullness on the under-side is not brought 
too near the bottom. If this be not at- 
tended to, the trousers will draw up from 
the foot, a fault which may be avoided by 
a little manceuvering of the top and under- 
sides, from the middle of the thigh down- 
ward, when they are put together." 



84 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



DIAGRAM II. 

BREECHES AND PANTALOONS. 

Diagram 2 is the illustration or adapta- 
tion of the system to breeches cutting, and, 
as will be seen, is for fly fronts, and with- 
out waistbands. Before proceeding to a 
description of the diagram, it will be nec- 
essary to show how to measure for these 
garments, which more, perhaps, than any 
other, require the most careful and accu- 
rate measures to be taken, in order to in- 
sure excellence of fit. We know of no 
better method of measuring than that de- 
scribed in a recent number of The, Tailor 
and Cutter, by the editor^ which, he says, 
was the method adopted by some of the 
old breeches cutters of other days, the 
principle of which is : " Be very exact 
lohen you measure and where you meas- 
ure. Observe when you take the lengths 
to make a mark with chalk, in order to 
know to take the widths at same places." 

We shall describe the method of refer- 
ence to Fig. 1. In the first place, take a 
piece of chalk and put a mark on the leg 
exactly at the bend of the knee, as at 2 ; 
at the hollow immediately below the joint, 
as at 3 ; and another at the place where 
the breeches are intended to come to, as at 
4, and if for pantaloons, as at 5 ; make a 
mark opposite each, on the inside of leg 
also, then place the tape as high on the 
side as the tops are to reach ; observe the 
hip bone, and note its location, continue 
down to the marks made on the leg, enter- 
ing down each quantity till the bottom is 
reached, then take the inside lengths in 
the same way, noting the quantity of each 
mark. Take the width of waist, hips, and 
seat, as if for trousers, then the thigh and 
the width of leg at each of the marks 
made. When gaiters arc made at the same 
time, it is also necessary to take the full 
length of leg in order to ascertain the cor- 
rect spot to put the button on which the 
gaiters hang. These measures should all 
be entered in regular order, as taken ; 
lengths first, then widths, thus: — 



25, 27, 30, 13i, 15J, 18*, 15, 17, 18, 13, 
7, 6, 6J. 
In drafting, it must also be remembered 
that one inch more than the length is giv- 
en, in order to give sufiicient ease when 
the knee is bent ; thus the inside lengths 
will be 14|, 151, 19 J ; the outsides corre- 
sponding, as 26, 28, 30. 

We take it for granted that a pattern is 
first cut, and that the construction line A 
B, has been drawn anywhere upon the pa- 
per, for it is of no importance where the 
side line is in breeches cutting. We have 
introduced it as a roulette line to show 
where it might be if it were needed, or 
rather to show that it is not needed at all. 

Mark down from B to Q the same quan- 
tity as in the trousers, dh inches ; square 
to 5 the fork point half an inch more than 
half seat, 9i inches ; from B to 8 one- third 
of waist, 5 inches, and form the fork as 
for the riding trousers. Mark the lengths 
from Q as K, H, L ; from H the hollow of 
knee mark to S one-third of measure, 4 
inches ; L to II, half an inch more ; but 
that quantity depends on the length of 
breeches and the shape of the leg, which 
must be carefully noticed in every case, as 
it is impossible for the same shape of leg- 
seam to fit different conformations of calf 
in the wearer. Form the leg-seam by 
these points, and complete the upper-sides 
by raising the tops to required bight, giv- 
ing half waist from 8, drawing in the bot- 
tom to the construction line, when the but- 
tons are wanted well forward, as in the di- 
agram, and form the side-seam with a bold, 
graceful curve from the waist to K, from 
K to L being a straight line. 

For undcr-sides give one ipch spring to 
F, make a fourth of seat from B, and 
form the seat line as per diagram. The 
widths at waist, thigh, K, H, and L, ac- 
cording to measures taken, which will al- 
ways give an easy, graceful form to the 
seam, when the upper-sides have been care- 
fully formed for the same end. 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



85 



The roulette lines show the additional 
lengths and widths necessary for pan- 
taloons. 

THE GAITERS. 

DIAGRAM III. 

Diagram 3 is added, simply as a grad- 
uated pattern in connection with the 
breeches, and not as part of the system. 
It is a good fitting pattern of a useful 
form, and can be easily adapted to any 
size of leg, by adding to or deducting from 
the seam at back. It requires no expla- 
nation as to how to draft it ; but we add a 
word oi; two as to how to measure it : 
First, fix the length, then take width at 
top, calf, and ankle, round the bottom 
edge across the foot from sole to sole ; and 
lastly, round the foot, so as to know the 
length of foot strap to allow. The last 
two measures are the guide to regulate the 
size, or width and length of the tongue or 
vamp. 

ON MAKING-UP. 

It may be taken as an undeniable truth 
that, correctly cut trousers cannot fit un- 
less they are accurately made up by the 
workmen ; nor will it be denied that care- 
lessness in the workshop is as frequently 
the cause of misfit in a garment as care- 
lessness in the cutting room, on the part 
of the cutter. And we may go a step fur- 
ther and say that if cutters, as a class, 
were as careful to give directions to the 
workman about the manner of putting the 
trousers together, as they are about cut- 
ting them, fewer blunders would be com- 
mitted, and better trained tailors would be 
obtainable. 

Of course, this is assuming for the cut- 
ter a knowledge of how to train or teach 
his workmen, which he may not possess, 
either from inexperience as a cutter, or from 
a want of knowledge of the practical part 
of his profession, which is a sad hindrance 
to a man in the discharge of his duties. 
As we write almost exclusively on behalf 



of the young and inexperienced cutter, or 
aspirant to the cutter's board, and as we 
are aware that there are many cutters who 
have never graced the workshop with their 
presence, nor pricked their finger with the 
"shining steel," nor creased their pants 
with the " bended knee," we have added 
the following remarks on " making-up " 
for their special benefit, and in completion 
of the task we had set ourselves at the 
outset. 

Our remarks, however, will be confined 
entirely to the making-up of dispropor- 
tionate trousers, or rather to the changes 
necessary from the proportionate form, to 
meet the wants of disproportionate figures. 
In all cases, it is imperative that the trou- 
sers be put together exactly as the cutter 
has indicated by his marks, &c., whether 
his notions of what is wanted be or be not 
correct. This is desirable, in common jus- 
tice to the cutter, who may be seeking to 
improve his knowledge of the effect of his 
deviations, and who, by the inaccuracy and 
carelessness of his workmen, may be led 
into errors from which otherwise he would 
have been free. The first deviation we 
would notice is that for the 

OVER ERECT AND STOOPING 
FIGURES. 

The requirement here is more front 
length and less back length. It is usually 
met with in corpulent men, but also fre- 
quently in men of ordinary size. Its ex- 
tent, like all other forms of disproportion, 
must be calculated by the eye, or obtained 
by skillful measurement, when possible. 
To provide for it, the front of fall at 8, di- 
agram 1, may be made Jess than one-third 
of waist, and the seat angle at 0, more 
than one-sixth seat from 4 ; also stretch 
down the under-sides at hollow of knee, 
holding on the upper-sides at same place ; 
the ease thus obtained to be held on the 
calf of under-sides. Reverse this treat- 
ment for the stooping figure, with excep- 
tion of the legs, which may be made up 
fair. 



86 



The Great Pantaloons System. 



THE FLAT-BELLIED FIGURE 

Is often met with, even in large-sized men. 
The change necessary for this is a shorter 
fall and leg-seam, with more length of the 
side-seam, to be obtained mthout altering 
the under-sides, thus : advance the front at 
8 and lower the fork point at S equally, 
and reduce the waist at W, tapering oif 
gradually to 1. The knee marks remain 
the same at side-seam, but on leg-seam the 
mark on upper-sides must be covered to 
the same extent as at fork. 



N. B.- 
gram 1. 



-All these references are to dia- 



PROMINENT HIPS 



Must be provided for at the side-seam of 
under-sides by a round being added grad- 
ually from opposite the fork upward to the 
extent desirable, the width at waist being 
reduced by a V, reaching to opposite the 
hip bone merely. 

PROMINENT SEATS. 

If the figure be small in waist, or hollow 
in back at waist, with a prominent seat, it 
will be necessary to increase the size of 
fork a trifle, carrying it down the leg-seam 
only about 3 or 4 inches, making it hol- 
lower at both front and back also, hollow- 
ing the back-seam at waist to the necessa- 
ry requirement. 

If the prominence be high and well- 
formed, indicating large hips and ordinary 
waist, additional spring may be given at 
fork point, and carried increasingly up the 
back, till at the top it is double the size 
that it is at bottom. The waist can then 
be brought to its proper size by a V being 
taken out. 

BANDY-LEGS. 

The first requirement is a straighter fork 
line than the ordinary figure requires ; for 
proof, try to stand with knees very wide 
apart, and the feet close together, and a 
drag will be felt at bottom of fly. Open 



the lower buttons, and ease will at once be 
given, because it gives more length to the 
angle of knee. When the knees are very 
much out, a piece may be taken off the 
sides, gradually from knee to bottom, and 
added on to leg-seam. In sewing, keep 
the leg-scam very tight and do not stretch 
it in pressing, the sides to be sewn slack, 
and well stretched in pressing. When the 
fault is but slight, it may be met by care 
in sewing and pressing alone, without any 
change in the cutting. 

KNOCK-KNEES 

Require the very opposite treatment from 
the foregoing instructions. Fork smaller 
and hollower, cloth taken oft' at leg-seam 
and added on at side-scam, leg- seam sewn 
easy and well stretched in pressing, side- 
seam sewed very tight and not stretched 
at all. 

FEET TURNED OUTWARD 

Can always be provided for without change 
of cutting by giving plenty of fullness to 
the under-sides of leg-seam, and stretching 
it well toward the outside, and by keeping 
the side-seams plain on and seaming very 
tight. For feet turned inward, reverse 
these instructions. 



LARGE CALVES 

Will require a trifling round on under-sides 
at both seams, if the leg is well formed, 
and fullness held on in order to form a re- 
ceptacle at the proper place. If the prom- 
inence is on the outside of the leg, it must 
be provided for on the side-seam by addi- 
tional round and fullness. This requires 
to be especially observed when cutting 
pantaloons. It is impossible to twist the 
cloth by pressing to fit the leg if it has not 
been left on at the proper place ; but no 
cutter will fail to observe the form of his 
customer's leg, if he takes heed to the in- 
structions laid down for him on measuring 
for breeches, and from the above remarks, 
he will easily know how to apply the cloth 
to suit the form. 



-The Great Pantaloons System. 



87 



These are the principal features of dis- 
proportion of form and position "which we 
have to deal with in cutting trousers. At- 
tention to them will always produce the 
happiest results, if properly applied, and 
will ever lead on the earnest student to 
other inquiries as to how he may apply his 
already acquired knowledge of these little 
details of his art, to meet the constantly 
recurring and puzzlingly novel forms of 
disproportion, as they crop up in his ex- 
perience. Of course there are many other 
little details that might be added to the 
above, but they belong more to the 
workman than the cutter, and we are sat- 
isfied thus to leave the discussion of them 
to another time, and in another form. To 
those who may wish to know our views on 
such questions, they are referred to the 
pages of " Easy Lessons for Young Be- 
ginners," already referred to. 

CONCLUDING EEMARKS. 

It has been observed, we doubt not, that 
in the foregoing explanations and instruc- 
tions, we have scrupulously abstained from 
all argument upon the merits of this sys- 
tem as compared with others : nor, indeed, 
have we sought by argument to convince 
our readers that its principles are scientific- 
ally correct, or admirably adapted to 
carry out the intentions of the cutter who 
may employ them. And now, without a 
word about science, or infallibility, or any 
other merit it may possess, we commit it 
to the trade, well knowing that its mem- 
bers are quite qualified to judge for them- 
selves whether it is calculated to be of 
more or less use than any other in prac- 
tice, for attaining the same desirable ends. 

We send it forth, in this form, weighted 
both by the favor and disfavor of many 
cutters who have seen it and tried it for 
themselves. By some it has been called 
" an insult to the trade." Even men of 
long experience as cutters have assailed it 
and its author in no flattering terms, and 
have seriously warned the public against 
using it as " it is a perfect 'kill.' " Our 



own experience and natural preference for 
our own ofi"spring has been well supported 
by the expression of the opinions of other 
cutters of even longer and more varied ex- 
perience than our opponents, and hence 
better qualified to speak than they are. 
A gentleman of twenty years' experience 
as a cutter, says, in speaking of the jour- 
nal with which we are connected, " I feel 
bound to confess that I have derived more 
genuine information from its pages than 
from any other work I have studied. I 
refer specially to ' Belfast's ' systems, 
and particularly to his trousers. I have 
cut several pairs for gentlemen of very 
different figures, and in each case found 
them answer remarkably well." Another ■ 
gentleman writes : " The result has been 
entire satisfaction. Up to the present 
time I have cut over 100 pairs of trousers, 
and have only had one complaint about a 
garment not fitting very well, but not one 
pair has been returned for alteration." 
Another writes : "I cannot flatter ^'Bel- 
fast ' with having realized my heau ideal, 
yet I consider his method better than any- 
thing I have seen, and have now cut over 
200 paii-s by it with exactly the same num- 
ber of ' kills ' as your correspondent ' S. 
S. ;' viz., two pairs through a mistake in 
measurement by an assistant." 

We could go on increasing these testi- 
monies to the excellence of the system were 
it at all desirable. Enough, we presume, 
has been said to justify us in sending it 
forth to seek a place in the literature of 
trade. If it be worthy, it will attain to 
that place it deserves ; if otherwise, we 
know the result — oblivion. Yet we would 
seek a generous criticism ; candid, free, in- 
telligent. It is our best. The best of 
anything is always imperfect. So with 
this system. Whatever its faults, they 
will soon be revealed ; whatever its merits 
(which are few) will also appear, and re- 
main, for truth is eternal ! 

He who the critic's pen would wield 
Must covered be with reason's shield ; 
Skillful in himself to know 
The way is false which others go; 
Nor by jealousy's scant measure 
Should he mete another's treasure. 







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